Demon Tamer
by CoriRedde
Summary: AU. Every Watcher dreams of the day they can capture a Demon and become a Tamer. Every Demon dreams of the days when the Night Hunt brings in flesh. Meet Maka Albarn, hybrid freak: uncommonly strong human with royal demon blood. Meet Soul Eater, demon prince: a centuries old murderer who will never be Tamed. Major lusty Soul!Maka.
1. First Watch

**Dedicated to HackingoftheDead and CodiBleu.**

**Japanese Translations:**

_**Ike: **_**Japanese for Go!**

_**Akuma desu ka?: **_**Are you a Demon?**

_**Ningen janai!: **_**You're not human!**

**Enjoy and Review, please!**

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Demon Tamer

A Soul Eater FanFiction

by Cori Redde

_**Summary: **__AU. Every Watcher dreams of the day they can capture a Demon and become a Tamer. Every Demon dreams of the days when the Night Hunt brings in flesh. Meet Maka Albarn, hybrid freak: uncommonly strong human with royal demon blood. Meet Soul Eater, demon prince: a centuries old murderer who will never be Tamed. _

_In a world where night becomes the hunting ground for demons, a select few humans have the ability to use Blood Exchange, a technique to Tame demons. Those who have not yet caught a demon, are Watchers, blood singing to bind to one of the underworld's creatures. The Tamers are the ones who can defeat the Hell Queens, the ones who create the horrors that terrorize the night during Night Hunt._

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_**Demon Taming for Dummies**_

Excerpt from: Chapter Three

_All demons have a tail. Though the demon may be a low rank or high rank, monstrous looking or completely human, the demon will have tail...The length of a demon's tail can give a rough estimate of a demon's power. The most common level demon has a tail to their knees... Most demons have hard time keeping their tail still, so it is difficult for them to hide it...The tail is also the demon's weak point. If you can get a grip on a demon's tail, you can increase your Taming success rate by thirteen percent...Some demon's tails have poison, barbs, a boa constrictors strength or similar, flames, or a combination. Be wary of this when grabbing a demon's tail. Though the tail's abilities may not be accessible when it is grabbed due to the sensitive and painful nerves there, demon's often notice when their tail is being targeted and will use any ability to keep it safe..._

_WARNING: If a demon's tail reaches the floor when relaxed, do not attempt to tame._

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**Demon Tamer**

**First Watch**

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Dull, green eyes survey the outside world with feigned indifference, their owner wearing a perfectly bored expression.

"Watcher." The voice interrupting the silence of the room is calm and sweet, but it echoes like cold water dripping in a lightless cave. The girl whom the speaker addressed does not turn away from staring out the window, merely dips her head shallowly to allow the other to speak.

"You've been assigned," the voice, distinctly female, continues. The shuffling of clothes seems abnormally loud as the green-eyed girl spins around rapidly. It is the only sign that the person behind that blank stare is actually an emotional being.

Her voice is monotone, but, unlike the visitor's voice, has no hollow ring. "Where?"

"Japan." The girl holds out her hand, finally looking into the face of her visitor. It's a beautiful face, marred only by an eye patch. Her long skirt and jacket hide the dark tattoos that swirl up her arm to her heart. The woman visitor lifts an arm smoothly, moving like a waterfall: flowing, beautiful, but completely strong and eroding. In her grip is an airline ticket with a first class seat. The girl accepts it, tucking it into her jacket pocket.

"Why?" She asks simply. The word has no lilt to it the way a question should; it is merely there.

The visitor pauses momentarily, gaze flicking to the window.

"It is about to start," she answers, gliding to the glass separating the room from the darkness of Death City. She presses thin fingers to the cool surface. "Does it hurt?" The girl remains facing the spot the visitor has just vacated, her posture tall and confident despite her petite stature.

"Thank you, Demon," she says with a barely there note of finality. The woman at the window sighs.

"Would it be the worst thing to address me with my name, Watcher?" The girl hides her surprise by moving to open the door to her room.

"You yourself give the answer. You are beneath me, under human control, Demon," she deadpans. Her eyes and face are still blank, her full but pale lips in a straight line. "I am a Watcher. Soon I will be a Tamer."

The woman laughs, the hollow ring of it tasting of blood and vanilla in the air. "Pretty, little Maka Albarn." She shakes her head, waltzing toward the girl with unveiled tail swishing languidly. The tip wraps around the girl's ankle as she nears her, placing a cool hand under her chin and tilting her head back to look the girl in the blank eye.

"You may wear that skin, but you are one of us." She smiles widely, fangs extending a bit in her mouth, ears pointing and stretching back. The girl shivers, forcing her muscles to listen to her and not to move. The woman leans in close to the girl, the corner of her mouth touching the corner of the girl's own.

"Demon."

A tiny, pale hand closes around the wrist of the woman with startling strength. The girl sinks her fingernails into the demon's wrists and pushes her away. She wears her mask of indifference still even as she watches the beautiful demon lick the blood from her wrist.

"Now, Marie Mjolnir," the girl demands in that same frigid monotone, "I suggest you _leave_." She holds out her hand with the woman's blood under her fingernails, a single drop dripping to the floor. Her eyes glow faintly. Under the demon's feet a gate stinking of sin and blackness opens. The demon sinks into it without protest, smiling prettily at the girl.

"You are strong, Watcher-Demon," she rolls the name sarcastically off her red tongue. Her fangs glint. "Or should I call you halfling, Maka Albarn?" And then she is gone, the chill in the air remaining despite her absence. The girl sighs softly, her eyes closing briefly.

"Yes," she says to no one, "It does hurt." As she watches, the streets around Death City burst into flame and fill with the cackling of Demon laughter. Her back burns. Her body itches to run outside and join in with the 'festivities.' She continues to stare with her dead expression as Tamers run into the streets, slitting their arms and calling out their Demons. She notices the Watchers line the rooftops, watching for Untamed Demons with power. Maka is unimpressed. Nothing is here for her, but in her hand is her ticket away from this city.

She observes the boarding pass blankly.

* * *

Her expression hasn't changed when she steps off the plane two days later, a backpack slung over her shoulders and an energy drink in her hand. She hates airplanes.

The city of Tokyo is a bustling place of chaos. She had once thought New York to be Death City on crack. This place is New York on crack and multiplied. Maka's eyes light slightly. Here, she can disappear until it starts.

As she wanders the busy streets of Japan, earning many curious stares for being an apparently depressed blonde, gothic girl speaking fluent Japanese, Maka checks out the buildings for good hideouts. She resists the urge to roll her upturned eyes at the people whispering about her. The hotel she wants is two blocks away. She wants to get there and sleep for a century with no interruptions, but it is not in her future when out from the shadows of an alley exits a red-haired person.

"Maka!" He cries, his American accent only too blatant. "My darling, beautiful daughter!" He tries to embrace her, but Maka walks smoothly out of his grasp.

"Go away." She doesn't leave room for argument, continuing her walking as if there hadn't been an interruption.

"B-but, Maka-!" She plants a careless fist in the man's face.

"Papa," she murmurs, "I don't need you here." She meets his eyes. "I don't want you here."

The red-haired man sighs dramatically, falling into step beside her. "I merely have a warning from Lord Death." His speech pattern unexpectedly returns to the formal speech of the Demons. This gives the girl pause as she is suddenly startled into humanity both by her father's talking and the words which he had spoken.

"Lord Death?" She raises a skeptical eyebrow; her voice remains as impassive as ever.

The man nods enthusiastically, pleased to have her attention. Maka gives him a blank stare.

"Well, what is it?"

The red-haired Demon says nothing, instead handing his daughter a sealed envelope. She takes it curiously, not showing the emotion on her face as per usual.

"I will send you back now," she says, slashing her nails through the man's wrist without warning. He yowls at the sudden pain. He tries to protest leaving, but Maka has already spread her fingers through the blood bubbling from the shallow wound. She raises that hand, her eyes glowing.

"_Leave." _The gate opens again, this time swallowing her father with little grace as he struggles against the pull. The Watcher girl ignores the stares she receives as she walks away with demon blood still smeared on her fingers.

She doesn't open the envelope until she has washed her hands and is comfortably seated at the desk in her hotel room. Inside is a small packet of thick blood and a torn napkin. The blood packet is labeled _Azusa. _The girl understands this to mean opening the gate with this blood will call out Lord Death's Demon Azusa. She sets it aside. She picks up the napkin scrap cautiously. In dark ink, the words '..._if a demon's tail reaches the floor when relaxed, do not attempt to tame...' _are clearly printed. Maka furrows her eyebrows, re-reading the words twice before deciding that there is nothing hidden here but a warning. She turns the napkin over and sees a P.S. with a skull next to it.

_I hope you like the clothes! _It says. Maka takes this as her cue to rip open the blood packet and summon the Demon to her. She ignores the _be safe_ written in her father's hand-writing at the corner of the napkin.

The blood drips on the floor. _"Come." _The gate opens, a tall, dark-haired, bespeckled Demon rising from it. She kneels immediately.

"I am summoned, Lord Death." Maka drops the blood packet at the woman's feet, telling her wordlessly that she is not Lord Death, nor is she the true summoner.

"Stand," Maka offers blandly. She crosses her legs, one over the other and waits. The woman does as is asked and holds out her hands. A package forms on them, neatly tied with two black ribbons.

"For you, Watcher." Maka gestures vaguely towards the bed. The Demon drops the package there and nods at the girl in front of her. She bites into her own wrist and drips it on the gate still swirling at her feet.

Maka's eyes glow faintly. _"Leave." _And Azusa is gone. She nears the bed, thin fingers tugging gently on the silk ribbons holding the package together. The brown paper wrapping falls away onto the floor. Underneath it rests a set of clothing that Maka, though she'd never state it, instantly loves. It is a Tamer's outfit, covering the full body. It's missing the Watcher's crest that should be on the left breast to proclaim her status. Maka questions nothing. The mock turtle neck has an open back, the tight black material thin and curiously strong. She knows a low level Demon can never break it. Paired with this is a pair of long, soft leggings and a red and black plaid skirt. The skirt is hopelessly short, but it adds that flair of fashion that makes the outfit unmistakably hers. Over the entire ensemble is a long, black coat made of a heavy, nearly indestructible material. On the coat, embroidered with fine gold thread is the Tamer's crest. Maka narrows her eyes at this. Surely Lord Death meant something with this gift; Tamer's crests are silver.

A note falls from the pocket of the coat. This time it is on a full napkin and complete with coffee stain. The girl entertains the humorless thought that Lord Death does not own paper for a mere moment before reading the contents of the napkin.

_Succeed, halfling. Night Hunt brings forth the dark, be aware._

Maka turns her blank eyes toward the window of her room to wait. She schools her face into nothingness, pretending she could already wear the outfit set out for her. She knows it will fit perfectly. As she sits, the sky turns dark. Pink and orange streak across the clouds that separate with the oncoming void of night. Behind them, laughing, hides the moon. Maka rises smoothly, moving with unintentional grace. She pulls on her Watcher's uniform: a white collared shirt, green tie, tan sweater vest, a plain black skirt, sheer tan leggings, and her favorite black boots with the white buckles. She flexes her fingers, unsure if the black gloves she normally wears are necessary. After a moment of contemplation, she tugs them on, wriggling each digit to make her gloves fit like...well, a glove.

The last of light disappears from the room; the moonlight casts shadows on the closing door. The girl is gone from the room. She ascends the stairs to the roof, exiting that door at the same moment she feels the crackling of evil souls in the air. Her body reacts to it, her fingernails lengthening and hardening to sharp points. The green of her eyes glows unnaturally.

The streets explode into flame.

The heat whispers against her skin, the ear shattering shrieks from each entity exiting the flames ringing in her ears and echoing in her own throat, yet she is silent. People on the streets scream, the scent of their terror driving screams of sadism and hunger from the Low Level Demons running toward them. Japanese citizens scatter. They dive into nearby shops, shout in anguish when the door has already been locked for safety, and some fight back with stilettos or trash can lids. All of their attempts are futile.

After all, Night Hunt has begun.

Maka waits a few more moments, watching the blood begin to flow. She searches the Demons for strength and endurance, but none fit the criteria she requires. It seems tonight is not the Night Hunt where she will become a Tamer.

With a sigh, the girl dives from the hotel's roof, her bored, blank expression oddly eerie with the orange glow of the fire clashing in her irises. She lands among the few citizens gathered in a group, Demons circling around them with teeth gnashing.

"_Ike,_" she orders the person in front of her. The startled human jumps, glancing at her expressionless face, its unearthly beauty, and the crest on her jacket.

"_Akuma desu ka?"_ The man stutters, backing from her slowly. His movements put him closer to the distorted bodies of the low-level Demons. Maka pulls him back into the group with agitated fluidity. Teeth clamp shut where the Japanese man's neck just was. He squeaks, hiding behind her. Maka gives him a stare, releasing his clothing in an exaggerated movement. His eyes focus on her hand, widening when they see the long claw-like nails curled there.

_"Ningen janai!"_ He declares, fear dominating his features. This gets the attention of three other people surrounded by the low-levels. Maka rolls her eyes, cracking her neck nonchalantly. She slides into the closest low-level Demon, slashing her nails through its neck and ordering in a slightly echoing voice:

_"Leave."_ The Demon has no choice but to sink under the ground into the gate. The two beside it are pulled in too. Maka nods once at the humans cowering on the ground.

"_Ike." _She orders again. With the smell of fear radiating from them, the humans dash away clumsily. One Demon tries to rush after them, but runs over the gate she has just opened. It vanishes with an enraged scream. Maka rotates with deliberate sluggishness to face the low-levels gathering around her. Her eyes take on a permanent glow, nails aching as they extend again.

"Come then," she suggests sadistically, "You can all die tonight." They scream and attack, scampering toward her with tongues lolling. She relishes the feel of their hot blood pooling in the lines of her palms, coating her clothes as she orders Demons into the gate again and again. The weaker ones vanish without her even having control of their own specific life force.

It's midnight when Maka has a moment to breathe. The first part of Night Hunt is coming to an end, the low-levels disappearing into gates and oblivion depending on their strength. It pleases the girl that most of the low-levels die, their weakness from time spent in the living world allowing the gates she had opened to crush them. The flames are fading away, dimming to red embers along the lines of the streets. The moon laughs, blood only trickling from its mouth for this moment in between Night Hunt.

Maka sees a few Tamers exit their houses or apartments, making their way onto rooftops farther away from her. Any other Watchers that had been out return to their beds. She is belatedly curious if any Watchers earned their Tamer status on this night. Some of the Demons had been worthy candidates, just none were worthy for her.

The second half of Night Hunt is starting. Watchers are not allowed. The girl doesn't care.

_"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"_ Blood _explodes_ from the moon's mouth, its teeth grinding together in an echo that Maka hears deep in her bones. The streets erupt in blue and yellow flames. Tamers' shouts reverberate through the blackened air.

"_Come!" _Maka imagines silver blades whirling through the air as Tamers slit their tattooed arms, the blood of their demons spilling on the ground through the Blood Exchange to bring the Tamed Demons forth. Maka's back aches.

She leaps around from rooftop to rooftop for awhile, watching how the Tamers fight, learning how to control a demon. She can feel her ears prickling, the strength of the Demons invading the living world calling to her half-blooded nature.

She stops on top of a not-too-high building. The flames here are strong and pungent, roaring a story of massacre as they dance. None of the Tamers are in this area. In fact, Maka can feel that they do not want to come near here. She thinks of the uniform laid out on the bed in her hotel room. Lord Death has faith in her. She ignores the angel on her left telling her it's suicidal, to leave it alone. The demon in her blood sings a song of bloodlust and fighting.

She jumps.

Maka lands on her feet, rolling on impact, standing with the flames flaring out behind her in the wake of her passing. Green, empty eyes shift from left to ride slowly, surveying the hellfire crackling around her. It is extra loud here, roaring with malice; internally, Maka's demon blood grins. Something is here, a Demon, no doubt. Her stomach does a flip as she realizes no Low-Levels have come to gather around the high energy source. Nothing is drawing off the flames to gain power. Only she has enough courage (or is it extreme apathy?) to stand in the middle of this ring of terror; the powerful energy keeps growing. The Demon must be drawing closer. Maka stands casually, her body appearing to be that of a helpless human.

There's an explosion in front of her, the fire stretching all the way to the low-hanging clouds in the dark sky. Her hair whips around her face, her skirt pressed flat against her thighs from the force. A gate, ornate, and wrought iron, snakes and spiders bent into the dark metal, rises from the ground, the bloody souls at its doors screaming and reaching out into the burning air. The doors swing open and shut in rapid succession, the following crash of gate on gate resounding through the night, ringing in Maka's ears.

She stares into the hot fire around her, observing the shape of a shadow whisper its way through the dancing heat. A dark tune crashes into her head, sickeningly sweet notes masked by killing intent and raw madness. Something in her really _likes _it; it resonates in her soul. The Demon laughs from where he hides his body, the flames flaring with each decibel emitted.

A man steps from the flames.

Maka rolls her eyes casually over the tall figure, her face filled with disinterest. The man wears red jeans with a chain hanging from two belt loops. His sneakers are dirtied beyond repair, bits of yellow peeking out from the black and blood stains. He's bare-chested, exaggerated shadows from the hellfire dancing in the contours of each muscle. The Demon markings, commonly called Tattoos by humans, that wrap around his left arm and spread on his left pectoral and shoulder blade are some of the most beautiful decorations Maka has ever seen. They looks deadly, yet the elegance with which they embrace him has a regal feel to it. Any ideas of him being royalty, though, are dashed by his posture.

He's slouching, hands jammed deep into his jeans pockets. He swings his head left and right, a lazy, feral, grin splitting his face. The flames roar around him, licking at his skin. Wherever he _breathes _the fire rises, much to his apparent amusement.

Maka, however, is not.

"Demon." She says, her voice the same blank tone. He swivels his head toward her, finally taking a long step and seemingly dragging himself completely out of the fire. He focuses his attention on her, noticing the Watcher badge on her chest before meeting her eyes.

Maka's insides freeze. She can't disguise the widening of her eyes, the slight part of her lips, the color blossoming on her cheeks as she continues the connection with the reddest eyes she's ever seen. Those blood-colored irises are set into sharp features, covered by deeply tanned skin. The mess of startlingly white hair on his head reflects the red and yellow glow of the flames. To her own disgust, she finds him..._handsome. _

"Little Watcher," he murmurs, the deep timbre of his voice shaking through her bones. He chuckles a bit, the eerie echo that characterizes a Demon's voice only an asset to the rich, velvet sound. Maka's features slide toward indifference, but halt when he takes another step, languidly crossing the space separating Watcher and Demon.

"You're the only one here," he says, mild surprise ringing in the echo. He comes to a stop, the two facing each other with only an arm-span between them. The moon cackles, blood beginning to stream from between its grinding teeth as it watches this chance encounter begin.

Maka shrugs slightly, blank expression in place by her force of will.

"So it is," she states. She shifts a foot backward, sliding into her fighting stance. The man in front of her throws back his head and laughs, the blood from the moon spurting out more violently with each rise and fall of the deceptively human sound. Maka watches something flick behind him; she follows it with green eyes. When the Demon sighs from finishing his laughs, the thing behind him finally stops moving. Despite his apparently relaxed body, his tail is tightly coiled.

Years of textbooks filter through Maka's head as she watches the appendage _drag _on the ground. This Demon, she knows, is unbelievably strong. Something in her gut tells her to run.

"Going to try to Tame _me,_ Little Watcher?" The Demon asks. He snorts with the impracticality of the thought. The sounds is harsh off the flames surrounding them. He offers a grin, his fangs only too obvious to Maka in the orange-glow. Crimson drips from one of them, lazily trailing down his chin. Maka only resets her stance.

Then her back slams into the wall, her head snapping back from the force. She coughs violently, pain erasing her blank expression.

"And how do you plan to do that?" The Demon whispers in her ear. Maka's body trembles, shivering when his hot breath skims by the sensitive skin on her ear lobe. His hand not attached to the arm pinning her against the wall comes up to snag in her hair, yanking her head to the side and baring her neck.

"Because from where I'm standing, you don't have the _capability." _His taunt lights a fuse in her, her blood boiling under her skin. Like lightning, she snaps her leg out high. The kick doesn't connect, the Demon dancing away from her easily. Maka breathes hard, wiping her chin with the back of her hand, red smearing on the pale skin there.

She narrows her eyes at the Demon. "I did not plan to Tame you, Demon."

The white-haired man cocks his head to the left in curiosity. Then his grin stretches across his face and his eyes glint wickedly.

"Oh?" He questions. "But you can't let me just leave, can you?" Maka steps forward slowly, coming to face him again. He gives her a look that screams boredom. She knows it well; usually, it is on her own visage. The girl does not back down. She moves suddenly, never breaking eye contact. Her nails slash through his bicep, a trail of blood hovering in the air behind her movement as his eyes shift to watch his blood appear on her fingertips. It surprises him, traces of boredom lingering in the set of his mouth slipping away.

Maka stares at him with glowing eyes. "_Leave."_ The blood on her hand sparks and then is gone. The Demon resumes slouching, a smirk crawling onto his face.

Maka looks hard at her hand, "Wh-what?" Her voice cracks. She hates herself for it. What about this situation broke apart everything? Was it _that Demon? _

Speaking of him, he flexes the muscle in his arm, watching the scratch fade away to unblemished tan skin.

"And you can't make me leave, either, Little Watcher," he crows. The flames leap and laugh with him. His torso slumps forward, allowing him to look her in the eye. Mischief swirls in his blood red. Maka stands frozen, hypnotized by the color.

"Though I'm curious..." He voice trails out. He sidles up to her, fingertips grazing her arm and trailing down her sleeve to her hand. "How did you manage to deploy a weapon to fast?" His fingers flit inside her sleeve, feeling for knives hidden there. He finds none. "Where do you hide it?" His hands slides all the way up to her elbow. "Is it kept in her hand?" He leans close to her, his nose grazing along her jaw as he lazily moves his hand back to her own. He presses his index finger against her palm. "Or is it something...else?" Without warning, his claws erupt from his nails, stabbing into the skin of Maka's palm.

The pain snaps Maka from her trance. Her own claws slip out; she closes her hand into a fist, sharp nail-tips tearing into his hand in hers. He leaps away, hissing in shock.

"Claws?" He asks. He looks at his own hand, the long nail on his index finger stained. Maka snaps her head around to face him. He licks her blood off his finger. She glares. He grins.

"Something else then," he murmurs, feral excitement coursing through his body. He scrutinizes her, trying to catch her attention with that gaze of his. "Let's see what other tricks you're hiding." He flies by her, the sound of tearing fabric filling the girl's ears. The heat of the flames dances anew on her lower back. The Demon sighs, apparently disappointed.

"No tail," he puts out, shrugging. Maka turns to mock him, her mouth open in rebuttal before she realizes he's already moved. He's behind her now, gripping her wrists and pressing them to her sides. He noses her hair away, licking up the shell of her ear.

Maka's eyes widen. She emits a small gasp before she can stop herself.

"Was that _pleasure_, Little Watcher?" Maka holds her breath, not allowing herself to respond. She can feel his disappointment when he finds no point to her ear. His curiosity, his question of 'what are you?', she can feel them in her blood. He yanks on her arms, forcing her to arch her back, leaning backwards with widened eyes.

"But your eyes do glow," the Demon whispers, fascination leaking through his echoing tone. He allows her to straighten, biting her ear in the process. She barely contains a whine. What is happening? He shifts both of her hands to one of his, the now free one snaking up the back of her ruined shirt. His fingers brush over the raised Tattoo of wings on her back. Maka hisses, pressing her back against his hand to seek that pleasurable sensation again. Her mind screams in terror. She shouldn't want this.

"So the truth is," the Demon murmurs against the skin of her neck, his body folded over hers, "That you are actually _one of us._" He presses his lips to the junction of her neck and shoulder before opening his mouth and sliding the edge of his fangs across her skin. The girl trembles, her captured wrists shaking.

"Why else would you find this so..." His touch burns, his voice is wicked. "_Desirable."_ His lips capture hers, whirling her body to face him. She doesn't know what she's doing. She kisses him back, her far shorter fangs slipping out to clash with his. It's heady. It's a rush she can't understand. His tongue slips into her mouth, catching the tip of her fang and splitting the muscle slightly. Maka can taste his blood. Her body reacts to it, needs it. _Craves it. _She presses herself to him, anything to get closer, to be...

She shoves against his chest. They separate, stumbling apart from each other.

"Who are you?!" Maka demands, spitting his blood from her mouth. The under-worldly man looks startled, as if he's discovered something better left unknown. Maka has no patience for the creature, not now, after kissing him like that. She had liked it; she still wants it. The rational part of her brain rebels.

"Who are you?!" This time, she screams it, her voice obtaining that echo and bouncing around them. A grin Maka is coming to recognize as his signature splits the man's face. He bows sarcastically, the chain on his jeans swinging and glinting in the rush of flames that come to surround him.

"I am a Demon," he says unnecessarily. He pauses. "A Demon Prince." He gives her a bone chilling sneer.

"Little Watcher," he sing-songs, "Are you sure you're ready to Tame The Two Queens' Demon Prince _Soul Eater?_" For the first time ever, genuine fear runs rampant in Maka's veins. She remembers when she first noticed his coiled tail trailing on the ground. Her heart had told her to flee. The girl barely has a moment to recognize her fear before she's lifted from her feat. A hard, open hand strike hits her square in the chest, knocking her back against that same wall. She drops to the ground, hard.

"You don't have the strength to Tame me, Little Watcher," the Demon Prince declares. He stands above her, leering down at her fallen form. It had only been one hit! "But something about you..." He licks his lips, emphasizing the movement. "Is...addictive." He walks away then, allowing the girl time to get herself back on her feet.

"I'll give you an ultimatum, Little Watcher," Soul Eater decides, shoving his hands back in his pockets. Maka finally finds her footing, leaning against the wall for support. "Since you are part Demon, as far as I can tell, I feel you deserve it." He wears a scheming smirk. Maka breathes hard, her chest moving exaggeratedly. She glares at him. The Demon takes this as his sign to continue.

"Die here," he starts, waving vaguely at the surrounding area, "or come back to hell with me. Be _mine." _The word causes shivers to wrack the poor girl's body. She hates that she wants to agree with the second option. Instead she pushes off the wall, standing on her own strength, and staring deep into those hypnotic, red eyes.

She laughs a little. "I did not want to Tame a Demon originally," she begins, her bangs shadowing her face, emphasizing her own demonic eyes. "Because I did not want to allow more Demon blood into my already halfling genetics. However, it seems you've given me no choice. I want to live. And because I can't kill you, I have to Tame you." This time, it was Soul who had no moment to prepare before he was struck in the jaw from the girl's uppercut.

"Perhaps you know my name, Soul Eater," she shouts at him as they exchange blows, "I am _Maka Albarn_." Soul catches her punch and tosses her to the ground. He steps on her back, pressing her into the asphalt.

"So you're his daughter?" He sounds sorry. Maka thinks nothing of it. She's sorry for herself being related to that.

"I am," she coughs into the street. The fire laughs at her pain. Soul kicks her then. Maka rolls away, hopping back to her feet just in time to block her adversary's attack. The Tattoos on her back tingle. Maka shoves against his fist, catching his off-balance figure with a kick to the shoulder. She smiles internally.

Downhill hits her hard. Soul gives her one last desperate look, asking for her to take him offer. She responds with a verbal 'no way in hell'. He smirks then, shrugging and vanishing from her vision.

She takes a hit to her stomach, bowling over. The back of her knees, she buckles to the ground. She stands and is promptly attacked at her shoulder. _What do I do? _She panics in her mind, taking the beating. It's all she can do to keep standing up after every fall. She hopes Soul Eater is frustrated at her resilience. _What do I do? _She closes her eyes, taking a deep breath.

_...a Demon's tail is its weakest point..._

Her eyes snap open. The Demon prince attacks again. A clawed strike to the neck. Maka turns on her heal, ducking under the attack and grabbing Soul's wrist. Her claws sink into his tanned skin and she pulls. He goes forward with a fist raised. She jumps. She lands behind him. He spins, dragon-whips-tail. Maka dives through the attack. His claws slash at her stomach. His fangs snap at her neck. She continues forward. His knee collides with her hip. It hurts. His tail thrashes. She reaches. Another hit. Reach. One more to her stomach. She takes it. Her fingers close over something black and fury.

"I have you now," she screams. Soul suddenly looks terrified, his long tail held in a little human's hand. Maka pulls hard. Soul trips forward, hands out to catch himself. Maka grabs that hand.

_"Open!" _She calls. Nothing happens. She seals her grip tighter around the Demon's tail. He whimpers in pain, throwing a weak kick her way. She sidesteps. She twists him arm, shoving her shoulder into his abdomen and lifting. The Demon, by pain of tail, begins to fall.

"I tell you," Maka screams, "_Open!"_ The Demon's eyes widen in panic, his back hitting the ground. He spits up blood, trying to stand just as the girl lands on him. Her legs trapping him to the ground and his right arm to his side. His left wrist she grabs in her hand, forcibly tangling their fingers together. he tries to throw her off him, but with his tail in her grip, his strength is being sapped, his will to fight chased away by fear.

Between them, a golden gate opens. Their blood releases from the cuts and wounds on their bodies, swirling together and re-entering them where their hands connect. The light become brighter, the fire around them whirling and screaming.

_"Exchange!" _ Soul's tattoos come to life, snaking from his hand onto hers and continuing up her arm. When it reaches her back, the tattoo stops. Then, blistering pain racks her body forward. She screams as her right shoulder, more specifically, the tattoo there, burns. Soul's eyes snap open wide, his own scream joining hers in the air. His own right shoulder scalds him. They press together, unwillingly empathetic.

Then it stops.

The fire goes out, the cries of Demons disappears and the moon stops bleeding.

Maka stands, panting hard. She raises her hand, eyes glowing. The gate opens beneath Soul's limp, newly Tamed body. She wears his wicked smile for a moment before she wipes her face blank again. Her next word echoes, announcing victory to all who hear it.

_"Leave."_


	2. Second Call

**Dedicated to Hackingofthedead and CodiBlue.**

**Enjoy and Review, please!**

* * *

Demon Tamer

A Soul Eater Fanfiction

by CoriRedde

* * *

_**Blood Exchange: **_

_**A Guide to the Inner Workings of a Taming**_

Excerpt from: Chapter Five, Section B

_There are sometimes side effects to the Blood Exchange. To review, the Blood Exchange is, quite literally, an exchange of blood between the Demon and the Watcher...Depending on the strength of the Demon, side effects will vary between none and extreme bodily harm. Some Tamer's have experienced what is called an Overflow. This occurs when the power of the Demon forces the Tamer to call it out so that they are not destroyed...Heightened emotion is a rare side effect that has not been seen in years. Even so, it is necessary to warn against the dangers of feeling too much with a Demon. The extra emotion in the Tamer can affect the Tamer's blood in the Demon, thus causing the Demon to rage out-of-control._

* * *

**Demon Tamer**

**Second Call**

* * *

Bright light filtering through the cracked eyelids of restless, pained sleep wakes the new Tamer slowly. The girl's eyes crack open before squeezing shut again against the glare of the sun off the asphalt she had apparently slept on into the late hours of the morning. Her body aches as she pushes herself into a sitting position. There are blood stains all around her; she knows it's smudged on her face and hands. The scratches and cuts from her fighting reopen as she drags herself to the alley wall, leaning against it and breathing hard.

Her head lolls to the side, her shoulders heaving with every breath. Her whole body feels hot, sweat trickling down her neck. Her eyes are glazed, her expression slack from exhaustion. It's as close as she can get right now to her usual emotionless face.

"MAKA!" The shout is loud and obnoxious, but the girl feels a sense of relief anyway as her father's red hair becomes visible through a gate opening on the main street. There are a few startled screams as people watch a Demon emerge in business clothes to their world. Spirit ignores them, sniffing the air for his daughter's blood. Maka coughs weekly and watches his head snap around toward her.

The Demon cries out again, "Maka!" This time his voice is breathier, a bit of relief to match her own lacing his tone. He races for her, dropping to his knees beside her.

"My darling baby girl," he coos, reaching for her hand. "I didn't know you were here all night! What happened? Tell Daddy what's wrong. I'll kill the bastard who did this to you!" Maka shakes her head feebly. The Demon places a hand on her right shoulder; Maka hisses.

It burns slightly. Spirit's eyes open in a mix of shock and apprehension. Trembling fingers tear her sleeve away to reveal a perfect replica of some Demon's tattoos.

"Y-you...you're a Tamer?" His chest swells with pride. He studies the tattoos, still gushing over his baby's accomplishments. The corner of Maka's mouth twitches with the beginning of a weak smile when Spirit praises the ornate quality of the tattoos, the beauty they add to her body. He lifts her arm to study the tattoo up close, and suddenly his expression is cold.

He is more serious than Maka can ever remember seeing her father. However, she doesn't have the energy to flinch when he stares directly into her eyes, hand closing painfully tight over her wrist.

"Who did you Tame?" He demands of her. Maka tries to glare at her father. What business of his who she Tames?

"A-a prince," she coughs out, her lungs rattling.

"B-but...this is..." Spirit's sentence fades away. He looks scared, unbelievably so. Maka studies his normally goofy expression become one of dread and paternal instincts that she'd frankly rather do without.

She forces her face into a cocky smile, black creeping at the edge of her vision and her muscles losing control over her skeletal system.

"S-soul Eater, Papa," she whispers. "Do you...know him?" Then she slumps foreward, for once appreciative of her father's embrace as it catches her softly.

"M-maka!" The Demon cries, cradling her to him. "Let me take you to your hotel, baby, please." Maka manages to get her eyes open, her only form of agreement in her weakened state. The gentle rocking of his steps lures the darkness out of its hiding place at the corners of her vision to take her away into sleep. The Demon Spirit Albarn can only stare at the dark ink now covering his daughter's arm.

His heart skips a beat when he sees the missing right wing of her tattoos.

* * *

The second time Maka opens her eyes is to the glow of the faceless moon. Tonight is just a night. She's alone in her hotel room, oddly at peace by the fact that the night is far quieter than any she's seen in awhile. All the pain in her body is gone, her wounds no doubt healed by her demon blood. She sits up slowly, the sheets sliding sensually down her bare skin. She feels anger at her father for undressing her, her bra and underwear the only articles of clothing left on her. Her face is still blank.

The moonlight is very bright, the full moon a priceless silver. In its light, Maka can clearly see her right arm. The tattoos now decorating it are black and beautiful. They twist up her arm like ivy: music notes, piano keys, and jagged scythe blades are hidden within the swirls of black water. She's never seen tattoos so intricate before, and she has lived all her live surrounded by them. The only other tattoo she can think of that is half as beautiful is the one of wings on her upper back.

Speaking of which, she turns her body to see her back in the mirror on the wall. Only one wing is left, the right side of the decoration gone without a trace. In its place is the ending decorations of her Demon's tattoos.

"Soul Eater," she says experimentally. The name rings with power in her voice. Maka likes it.

Next to her bed she notices, yet again, another half-note is resting. She leans back to pick it up, watching the tattoos on her arm ripple over her skin. The note crinkles pleasantly, reminding Maka of Lord Death's voice. Then again, the letter is from him. She unfolds the paper. It is a short note, not she expects anything else. The other two she had recieved yesterday were of the same cloth.

_Congratulations, Tamer Maka! Remember to let your Demon out before bringing him to meet me. I will be expecting you in two days. 3, Lord Death. _And underneath that, not ignored this time, is her father's words:

_Maka, I know there's been a lot of strife between us. but please let me help you with Eater if you need it. He is dangerous. -Papa_

The new Tamer reads the last sentence a few times, feeling a sense of accomplishment roll over her. She wants to smile, but keeps herself carefully contained. Dropping the letter to the floor, Maka stands and stretches, unhooking her bra and sliding her underwear down slim legs as she heads toward the bathroom.

It is in a daze that she showers the dirt and grime from her body, cleaning out the remaining cuts that hadn't fully sealed from her Demon blood. The rate amazes her. Though having only slept for about a day, regardless of the short disturbance with her father, her body is almost completely wound-free. Maka had always had a resilient body due to her heritage, but this rate of healing could only mean one thing: Soul Eater's blood had truly bonded with her. She knows that Tamers all have a high rate of healing, but none quite as fast as her combined blood. Demon blood is monstrous, after all.

Maka shuts off the water, squeezing water from her hair and drying her body with the hotel towel. She feels so much better, clean and, dare-she-say-it?, human. It's not until she wipes the steam from the fogged-up mirror, that she feels it.

Pain.

It lances up and down her arm the instant she notices the black tattoos of her arm are glowing red, seeming to writhe on her skin. She stumbled backwards, eyes locked with their reflection as a pained scream rips from her throat. Her left hand grabs her right wrist; it smothers the pain for a moment. Then it comes back with a vengeance. Maka staggers out of the bathroom, towel forgotten on the floor. Water droplets fling around her, hissing with contact with her skin. Her arm throbs with every drunken step she manages toward the bed.

Her body feels aflame. She can't breathe properly, her heart beating too fast inside her ribcage. She trips. Maka tries to catch herself, but her pained right arm crumbles under her, her tattooed shoulder crashing to the ground. Another scream is forced from her throat. She bites her tongue, hard. The raw torture in her mouth allows a thin dribble of blood to trail down her chin.

She rolls over, whimpering pitifully. Her eyes droop, black and something akin to hellfire dancing in her vision. Her breathing is harsh, echoed by the rumpling of paper. Slowly, her green eyes focus on that scrap of white paper next to her head.

_...let your Demon out..._

It's the best, and only, advice she can think of. Her body shaking, burning from the inside out from power building in her system, she forces her mind to focus. Her face goes blank for a quick second while Demon claws erupt from her nails.

She screams in time with the too deep slash down the inside of her right arm.

"_Come!" _A gate roars to live, the crackling of flames loud in her ears as her floor splits. Despite the roaring, no Demon rises from the gates. Maka forces herself to her knees, a pained shriek leaving her as she holds her bleeding arm over the gate.

_"_I command you: _Come, Soul Eater!" _The gate swirls, rippling and changing to become wrought iron, detailed with snakes and spiders. Flames climb out to lick at her sensually. There's a laugh from within the gate as up from it rises that dark skinned Demon she now lays claim to.

He bows sarcastically, "Your command, Mistress?" Then he actually notices her, laying naked and prone on the floor. Color is returning to her face, the pain gone in a huge sigh of relief as soon as he took the blood exchange.

"Th-the...your blood..." Maka breathes slowly, taking her time to suck in air. The fact that she's completely disrobed before her undeniably attractive Demon has yet to click in her brain.

Soul Eater grins, "Too much for you, halfling?" She manages to glare down at him from her place on the floor, the slight glow in her eyes forcing him to his knees.

"Help me up, you asshole," she grits out, chest still heaving. His eyes are drawn there immediately, watching her breasts press into the carpet with each inhale. For the first time in millenia, he can feel something like a blush heat up his face. Maka watches him closely, following the trail he made with his red eyes down to stare at her own nakedness.

She keeps her face carefully maintained, the only sign of her disturbance the quickening of her heart and faint stain to her face.

"Well?" She prompts. The Demon sighs, muttering a few choice words under his breath (and plainly ignoring that his Tamer could hear him anyway because of her half-Demon status), drops to his knees and slides his fire-hot hands underneath the breathless girl.

That same gasp from less than twenty-four hours previous escapes Maka's lips. She turns her head in slight panic to the Demon now lifting her in his arms. She can feel the hellfire racing in his veins, and his energy singing in her blood. Is it really so bad that she finds herself undeniably attracted to him?

She's dropped unceremoniously on the bed, her body bouncing and legs falling open. She takes a moment to breath, sitting up slowly to find Soul facing the other direction.

"Soul Eater," she murmurs, tugging a sheet around her shoulders. He turns around, hands still shoved in his pockets.

"Going to demand something of me?" She notices his eyes don't quite focus on her, looking somewhere to his left.

"Already did that, haven't I?" Maka deadpans, tilting her own head to meet his wayward gaze. "Quite the obedient lapdog I have." Soul Eater then glares at her fully, taking a few threatening steps toward her before he's standing over her, sharp fangs bared. The bloody red of his eyes swims around her psyche, flitting between her own green stare and the edges of his tattoos on her neck.

"Do you really have the power to say such careless things to a Prince?" He asks boldly, one hand coming up to slide a finger down her cheek. The girl draws her own lips back in response. Her short fangs slip out from her gums, claws at her fingertips.

"But isn't he my Demon Prince?" She smirks, wondering where her ability to maintain a lack of expression scampered off to in the presence of the white haired Demon. She stretches out her neck, sitting up straighter. Her nose brushed along his cheekbone, her breath ghosting at his hear. "After all, _I Tamed him."_ The Demon releases a growl, his tail lashing around him to brush Maka's arm.

"I wonder," he responds, remaining close to her, lips near touching, "If that was wise." The Tamer hums softly, the deep alto of her voice reverberating against his skin.

"Whatever do you mean, Soul Eater?" She blinks once, long lashes dusting his temple. "I control a powerful Demon of Hell, a direct link to the Two Queens. Or perhaps that was all a lie?" Hands close over Maka's upper arms, a fang glides along her jaw line.

"No lies, Princess," he breathes into the crevice of jaw and neck, "I am _the most _powerful Demon in Hell at this moment; even your father bows before me." Something about that statement started something powerful in Maka, a deep sense of pride in her belly...or lower.

"Prince Eater," the girl's voice dances in his ear; her hands shift to his shoulders. What is this game they play? So close together they murmur words of wit, but their hands move in quick seduction with their lips. Briefly, Maka considers Heightened Emotion, a side-effect of Taming, to be grabbing her soul and forcing her fingers to move the way they do. "Tamed by the half-blooded girl. What is the world coming to?"

Soul shifts so that his needle-point fangs barely prick at his Tamer's pouty bottom lip. "Or is it fate?" Red eyes meet with green. "The half-Princess and the Prince?" He presses his body against her, drawn in my her, the wildness he feels pulsing beneath her skin.

Maka falls back, "Sounds like a load of bullshit to me." Soul Eater chuckles then, his chest rumbling and sending shockwaves through her over sensitized body. What was it about him? How many Demons had she killed? How many royal Demons had she commanded with Lord Death's permission?

"I can feel your blood," the Demon Prince croons, fingers tracing his tattoos on her skin, "It sings for me. _Why?!_" The last part is a demand. He is abruptly over her, straddling her waist, holding onto her arms, panic evident on his face as their dangerous game breaks, everything becoming raw and open. Maka tangles her fingers in his hair. It is not the action she should do. She should order him away from her, send him back for treating her like one of his Demon concubines, and lesson the power flowing between their Blood Exchange...

She can't. She won't. Who made those rules anyway?

The blood moving between them, red swirling in the black of their shared tattoos, lends a rush of exhilaration to Maka's body. It is echoed in Soul's body. Something glows. His eyes are bright and hypnotic; hers are glowing and drowning. She glances over his shoulder, seeing, for the first time, her right wing transferred onto his skin.

"How is this possible?" She breathes in response to his panic. He swivels his head around, looking at the wing now on his shoulder.

"That wing..." He starts, voice trembling, "is yours?" He turns back to watch her nod, their lips almost brushing together at the motion. He picks up her right arm, surveying the patterns there.

"This is mine..."

"Double Blood Exchange." Maka says it with no room for argument. It's not something she's ever read or heard of in her textbooks, but it make sense to her. The Blood Exchange means the Tamer takes power from the Demons blood, using it to heal, to call the demon, and to claim ownership of the Demon. The Demon takes on human blood so it can enter the human world when called without it being Night Hunt, the only time Demon can enter the human world without human blood. Maka tells this to Soul in a hurried whisper.

He knows this. He tells her so.

"What if," the Tamer muses, running her hands through his hair absentmindedly in deep thought, "We both played the role of Tamer and Demon." Soul Eater blinks, his confusion evident.

"I could call you to Hell?" Maka doesn't know. She gestures to his tattoo on her arm and her tattoo on his right shoulder.

"Maybe it's destiny," she suggests. He growls, annoyed by her use of his words. They had been said in jest the first time; this second time makes it seem more real. In their heads, they can hear a ringing that had been previously ignored.

Soul grips Maka's arms a little tighter, watching her face contort from where she lay under him. Why does he have her like this? Maka flexes the tight muscles of her stomach, raising herself to return to that position that had been so dangerous before. Why is she so anxious for that rush again? Her lips float but a millimeter away from his. Their fangs glint the closer they are; claws unsheathed and power spinning around them.

"I don't know if I believe in fate," Maka whispers, "But whatever string we used to tie ourselves together allows me to hear your blood sing for me." Soul groans loudly, hearing his words repeated back to him. He turns his head just slightly and their mouths touch.

It's fire.

In a replay of the moments before Maka had gained control of their fight, Soul assaults Maka's mouth, grins ferociously at her reciprocation. There is a sharp click of their fangs against each other. They pull apart quickly.

"What is this?" Soul growls to the Tamer. She lays breathless on her sheets, naked body bared again when she dropped the cloth from her shoulders during their kiss. Maka tugs him back down to her, fingers tangled in his white-locks.

"Heightened emotion," she explains shortly between presses of lips, "But I don't care." She's become wanton, yet, to repeat her own words, she can't find any rational thought to dissuade her actions. And a Demon, a creature of sin and evil, can appreciate those words, the Prince even more so.

"You should have taken my offer," Soul Eater mutters, "You should just _be mine._" And then he nips her jaw and she tugs his hair. Their tongues meet openly, sliding along the others' fangs and drawing blood. It feels good. His blood tastes of dark chocolate, the rich flavor bitter and thick on her tongue. She loves it. It causes her body to shiver, a macabre aphrodisiac.

"Your blood," the Demon Prince moans, "Is beautiful." He sinks his fangs into her neck, lapping at the blood before kissing her again. She opens her mouth immediately, sucking on his tongue and tasting her own blood. It should be disturbing. She loves it. She whines. Wriggling her hips, she manages to free her legs, sliding her body sensually along his. He hisses in her ear. She giggles.

Small hands slip down the dark chest of the Demon prince, touching and feeling. Every motion he makes, she can interpret with her fingers against his muscles. He's built of perfection, his dark skin smooth and flawless. She brushes her hands along his abdomen, teasing each line of skin that is a ridge of strength.

"This shouldn't be," Maka breathes in sharply when he has taken a moment to kiss along her neck, sucking briefly on the earlier wound from his sharp teeth. He holds himself up with one hand, the other resting on her stomach and his claws scraping against the skin. Maka thrashes, drawing her knees up to rub against him.

It's too much. There's a coil in her lower belly that winds tighter with every move he makes. It's intense, it's not right...but maybe that's the appeal.

"Is that...pleasure, my Tamer?" Soul whispers huskily, teasing her nipples. Maka doesn't bother to quiet her cry of agreement, fingers working the button of his red jeans. She thanks the hot atmosphere of Hell for making shirts unnecessary. When the garment is unzipped, Maka pulls her feet back, catching her toes in his pants and pushing them down to his knees. For an instance, her heated core presses against his lower stomach with the raise of her hips to remove the nuisance clothing. They moan together.

Soul lowers his head to her chest, licking and sucking. The taste of her skin is nicotine to him. No one should ever taste like this, he tells himself, but he can't argue with fate for giving him this chance. Maka screams when her Demon's attempts to kick off his pants make his ministrations on her breasts all the rougher. This game...she knows she wants to play...play and never stop.

Soul runs his nose between her breasts, kissing her collarbone before sucking harshly. Maka mewls.

"N-not enough," she pants, wrapping long legs around Soul hips, "Not nearly enough."

"No," the Demon agrees. He slips a hand low, massaging her inner thighs. His mouth captures hers, tongue swirling with the taste of his and her blood. Maka's moan is swallowed. A finger probes at Maka's sex, claws carefully contained. The girl wrenches her head back and shouts for more. In a few strokes, the Demon has concentrated on something that has tears leaking from Maka's eyes. He smirks at her reaction. Soul draws his hand away wet, pinching her clitoris playfully to watch her eyes roll back into her head.

"You are so sensitive, my Tamer," he tells her, gaining her attention. Slowly and deliberately, he licks his fingers clean, making a show of swallowing and grinning as if satisfied. Maka rushes up almost instantly, crashing their mouths together and grinding her hips against his erection, telling him to hurry up.

Somewhere, in the back of their minds, the idea of needing to stop, the idea of having to not do this, is being hung in the gallows of the seven deadly sins. It feels just too good.

Soul enters her without preamble, not waiting to find out if she is a virgin or not. There's no resistance, the girl turning to putty beneath him. She feels disturbingly similar to home. He's never had a real home, just a palace as a base of operations, but suddenly he understands the appeal of a home and her body is it. He shouts out profanities, body heavily intoxicated on the drug that is Maka Albarn.

_"Soul!" _Her screams sound like ecstasy, dragging him away from earth and into a realm of blonde hair, big green eyes, and long legs. A naked half-demon girl dances with him, their joining a rough version of their own tango. He knows the sensual dance well, having used it often to seduce those in the Demons' Courts. With this Tamer girl, though, it's not only sensual, it's awe-inspiring.

"_Soul!"_ The Demon Prince notices her calling his given name, the way she accents it a really arousing sound. He thrusts in and out, gyrating his hips. She can feel him deep inside her. She feels like a missing piece has fallen into place. She wants to grimace to think that that piece is a Demon Prince, but the way he moves his hips is a pleasant distraction.

_"Soul!" _Her ankles are locked behind him, breasts pouncing with every thrust he uses to push to the edge. She calls his name and pushes back. Her heart-rate is fast; his is too. Together, crying out to the faceless moon, bodies in a tangle, the Demon Prince and the half-Demon fall from a high together.

Maka is sobbing, the orgasm ripping through her a rush she has not known before. It doesn't compare to her first time, on a level completely otherworldly. Soul groans agreements, reveling in the feel of her body pulling on him, the way she stares at him. He flops next to her. They're sweaty and she's sure she looks a mess, but she's not tired.

"D-do," Maka says after a waiting period of breathing and comprehending their situation, "Do you need to go back?" Soul glances at her tattoos and his, the red still moving rapidly.

"No," he answers, "I don't feel weak, do you?" His tail moves up to wrap around them, drawing her into his body. He feels so warm next to her, almost as if he's really alive. It's invigorating. He doesn't know how he ended up with a half-demon as a Tamer, or why he didn't just let her kill him, but being here know, he won't argue with his actions.

"I'm fine." The blonde girl turns, snuggling against his chest. "I'm confused, but I'm alright."

"I have to be here for you now, always," the Demon Prince vows to her. She strokes the points of his ears, playing with the jewelry dangling from them.

"I have a feeling we don't know how powerful we are," Soul Eater tells the girl who controls his endless (or so he believes) power.

"It's scary," Maka agrees, tangling her legs with his. "I almost wish I could wrap a tail around you, too." How strange, Soul thinks, to feel one's heart break when one knows he does not have a heart to break. However, the sensation is strong in his chest. He buries his nose in Maka's hair, breathing in the smell of her, her blood, her arousal.

"Will you make me leave?"

The half-Demon looks up in shock. Soul smirks, a full-blown shark-toothed expression.

"Should I have to?"

And so it began, the dangerous game. For neither Tamer nor Demon knew the knots tied in their red string, but this strange moment of a shade of happiness would not last forever. This both knew with a certainty that stole their breaths away.

_"Stay."_


	3. Third Order

**Dedicated to Hackingofthedead and CodiBleu.**

**Enjoy and Review, please!**

* * *

Demon Tamer

A Soul Eater Fanfiction

by CoriRedde

* * *

_**Shibusen**_

_**The Insider's Guide to the Demon Taming Agency**_

Excerpt from: Chapter Two, Lord Death

_Shibusen was founded by a man now known as Lord Death...he is the only man to have seen inside the gates of hell and survived...his name comes from the fact that all un-Tamed Demons that come into contact with him meet certain death...He has been given commonly used titles in other languages as well including Shinigami and Senor Muerte...His experience in Hell has made him immortal...The Demons under his control are Princes and Princesses, some of whose Blood Exchanges have been terminated by his order...As the General in the war against Demons, all Tamings must be presented to Lord Death before they are allowed to be used in battle...if necessary, Lord Death will terminate a Taming regardless of the results on the Tamer...Lord Death has a son known as Death the Kid. Like his father, his real name has been lost to common people, but his taming of two Princesses as the same time when he was only eight-years-old is already a well known story. _

_Quoted from Lord Death himself: "I wear this mask not to bring horror, but to save others from the horrors of Hell I'm certain are reflected in my eyes."_

* * *

**Demon Tamer**

**Third Order**

* * *

It is warm, but not uncomfortably so. The comfort is, ironically, the thing that startles Tamer Maka Albarn awake. Her body attempts to jolt upward, hands shaping into claws, but she is unable to move more than two inches off the bed before her body jerks back down, held back by something.

Someone.

Her heart rates speeds up, pounding against her rib cage. Contrarily, her face is calm, her breathing even. She knows it won't fool the person in her bed, seeing as how they're pressed together skin for skin, but old habits die hard.

"Come on," a low voice rumbles in her ear, "Don't make that face." Maka flips her body over within the confined space of the arms holding her and levels an even gaze at...her Demon. The relief that floods her system is an antidote to her racing heart. Strangely enough, it's more of an antibiotic than an antidote and even kills her emotionless face.

"That's better, Little Tamer," the Demon croons softly. Maka rolls her eyes, pulling up a hand to mock-punch him in the chest. And that's when it hits her. The sensation of walls falling crashes around in her brain. She becomes hyper-sensitive to everything around her: the Demon Prince's skin, the tickle of his hair on her forehead, his legs tangled up with hers, the slight ache in her body that she can't decide if it's from pain or the want for _more..._

She blinks hugely, eyes coming into contact with the mark she left on his neck. "I...slept with you."

Soul rolls over, flopping onto his back. Frustration and confusion are etched onto his face. He stubbornly keeps his eyes focused on the ceiling even as Maka sits up, not bothering to cover her body. She examines the tattoos on her arms, all of which have faded back to solid black. The patterns no longer seem to writhe along her skin and no pain lances up her arm. In fact, she feels _whole_.

"I don't understand," she whispers, wrapping her arms around her shoulders. Noticing this, her Demon is immediately behind her, his arms wrapping over hers. She can feel the hesitation in his touch. His limbs shake just the slightest bit, and Maka knows it is not the hesitations that shakes them.

"What is here to understand?" Soul Eater demands, "I have killed so many Watchers and Tamers before, tasted their blood and ignored the hypnotic lull of the Blood Exchange..." He breathes in deeply at her neck, nose skimming the hickeys he so ruthlessly applied. "What is it about you?"

Maka turns her head, leaning forward just enough to move his mouth away from her neck. If he continues, any thoughts she had known previously will all but fly from her head.

"I can only assume it's my demon blood causing this," she hypothesizes, "I told you I didn't want to Tame you..."

"Yet you could not resist."

The Demon Prince's words ring true, tugging at the mask the half-Demon girl cannot seem to find in his presence.

"I hate you," she spits, wrenching her body away from his arms. She stands and paces away from the bed, the sunlight glowing in her blonde hair. The expression on her face is, once again, lacking. The cold of the room suddenly seems to invade the Demon Prince's body, the lack of Hell fire in his veins making shards of ice form in his blood. He shivers.

The Tamer, despite looking the other way, notices. She can feel his heart beat in time with her own, the distance between them notwithstanding. The heat and brilliance he seemed to emit before had died down. She remembers the former intensity of his eyes as they moved together under a faceless moon. Today, no such fire rages in his bloody irises. Her right arm feels oddly numb and weightless.

"Yet how loudly you screamed my name last night," the Demon muses, "How desperately you opened _my _gate."

The girl spins around to face him at that, a slight curiosity showing in the set of her mouth.

"Your gate?"

Soul Eater laughs then, his voice low and arrogant. "Yes, my gate. I am a Demon Prince. The Two Queens gifted it to me as the strongest Demon in Hell. Not even they can use it." Suddenly, he is in front of her. He doesn't touch her, and she is exceedingly grateful. Her blood is already surging her toward him at the proximity, and she's certain he can feel the same tug.

"Interesting, isn't it? That you can open the gate only I can access." He reaches out to stroke her cheek, but she slaps his hand away.

"_Don't,"_ she commands, eyes lighting up in that same glow. Though the command is a small one, only focused on his hand, yet his whole body shuts down. Don't breathe. Don't see. Don't talk. Don't stand. Don't do _anything. _His reaction is that of a Low Level Demon, the ones that even Watchers can command. He falls, back rebounding painfully off the footboard and crashing to the ground. He doesn't even groan or open his mouth to complain.

Maka knows what has happened immediately as the numb sensation doubles in her arm.

Soul recovers quickly, his eyes shooting open. He pushes himself up onto his knees, panting a bit. "Wha- what the hell was that for?" He levels a glare at his Tamer, fangs extending just enough to poke at his bottom lip. His reaction is over the top, but such is the way of Demon blood.

"You've weakened," the new Tamer explains. She brings her mouth up to her wrist, her own fangs lengthening from her gums. "You need to go back; regain your strength." She bites down on the tattooed skin, tasting a mix of her and his blood. "_Open-!"_

"No!"

The silence following the Demon Prince's outburst is heavy, punctuated only by the sound of traffic outside. Car horns can the play the part of the crickets, after all.

Maka levels a stare void of any indication toward her surprise at his request.

"No?" She repeats, that lilt of a question lacking. She backs away a step, wrapping her arms around herself as the cool air flows around her naked body. "You're exhausted. You need to go back. I'm not negotiating." The blood wells up again, dripping to the floor.

Soul looks up, throwing himself from his place on the floor. "I said NO!" The gate freezes, halfway open, the hellfire only just glowing in its dim depths. The Demon Prince's hands close over the half-demon's wrists, his momentum throwing them against the white walls of the hotel. His eyes light and his fangs extend fully, a low growl echoing in his throat. He's snarling at her.

Maka's body responds to his threat immediately, her nails growing into claws and her significantly shorter fangs barely reflecting the sunlight streaming through the window. Her eyes glow; his smoldering red irises matching just too perfectly with her own green.

"Why not?" Maka demands, the past pace of her heart the only sign the proximity of her Demon was calling to her own Demon blood. "You can't stay in the Human World forever, even if you are a Demon Prince."

"I will surely be killed if you send me back," the Demon growls, breathing harshly. His grip is weakening on her wrists, his hours away from the Hellfire we is so accustomed to taking their toll on his strength.

Maka scoffs. "You'll be fine." She closes her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath and releasing any residual Demon attributes of her body, hiding them away. "The council protects Tamed Demons." Her responses are as bland as the textbook from which she recites them.

"Tamers almost always die first, and the Demon is released to its own chaotic will again." She pushes her Demon away from her finally. The lack of expression on her face is made up for by the anger and dare-she-say-it fear on the Demon Prince's.

Soul Eater laughs then, a humorless noise. "You do not really believe that, do you?" He turns around, leaning down to retrieve his pants. The chain jingles a little. "The Two Queens are outside of the law, this you must know."

Maka crosses her arms, the arrogant set of her chin mocking him. "All I hear from you is 'The Two Queens'. Sorry, but I don't see them taking the life of their strongest creation."

Soul throws a disbelieving scowl at her, wobbling just slightly on his feet.

"You will see, Little Tamer," he bites ferociously, "Just how naive you truly are." He closes his eyes. Maka once again holds out her wrist and commands the gate open. The Demon Prince steps inside it this time, his words echoing around the room.

Maka Albarn clenches her fists. She has to restrain herself from punching the wall. It never shows on her face; her control is totally regained the moment Soul Eater leaves the Human World.

* * *

"...a pocket full of posy, ashes, ashes, they all fall - Sis! Sississississis! Lookie who came back!" The voice that announces the return of the blonde is young and childish. She's taller than the new Tamer, but not by much. Her own blonde hair is light and cropped short, her bangs sweeping through long, dark lashes. She radiates innocence, but Maka knows at the twitch of her Tamer's finger, the girl can become the most deadly of weapons.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Maka - Look at your clothes!" And never far behind the only 'innocent' demon, is her sister. This Demon is far taller than both her sister and Maka, her skin revealed through the cut-out bloody red dress she wears. Both of the Demon sisters are devastatingly gorgeous, and dreadfully powerful, but they've known Maka Albarn since the girl was born. As a result, the half-Demon found no fear in the twin, glowing, blue eyes of the sisters that had enthralled many a mortal.

"Patti and Liz." Then again, knowing that the younger is obsessed with giraffes and the other a total fashionista kind-of kills the whole 'I-am-a-Demon-of-Hell-here-for-your-soul' shindig. Though Maka must admit, the two of them put on quite a show.

Maka Albarn halts in front of them, her face passive. A curious eyebrow makes itself known on the taller of the two female Demon's faces.

"Quite the impressive outfit you have there," Liz murmurs. She leans against the doorway to the hall leading to Lord Death's chambers. Maka internally scoffs at the Demon Duchess's statement. The Demon herself dons a (ridiculously scandalous) gown, her tattoos glinting with every move she makes. Her sister giggles next to her, clapping happily at Maka's success at becoming a real Tamer. The ruffles on Patti's own significantly-shorter-than-her-sister's-gown dress flounce with every exuberant movement she makes.

"From Lord Death," Maka explains, monotone. Liz makes a sound of confirmed suspicions, resting two finger close to her lips. From between the two elegant digits, a bit of Hellfire flares. A long pipe is formed, the Demon sucking in the fumes of her home world in a luxurious lull in their conversation.

"But, he made the crest gold?" Patti asks, poking Maka's chest. The girl doesn't even flinch at the closer-than-could-be-considered-appropriate contact with her boob. She nods blandly, not bothering to voice an affirmative. After all, both Demons have functioning eyes; they can see.

"That's so weird!" Patti continues, giggling a little and pretending to hide it behind her hand. She lowers her head a little, leaning in close to Maka with bright, winking eyes. "Maybe it's because you're hal-!" Liz is suddenly behind her sister, dainty hand clamped over Patti's mouth. The skirt on Liz's gown flares out behind the two of them with a dramatic flourish. The Demon is rolling her eyes, shoulders drooping a bit from their usual proud set. She growls a little.

"That was a bit unnecessary," she says, annoyance slipping into her low, sultry voice, "_Kid."_ The tall, dark form of the Demon Sisters' Tamer slides into view from behind Liz. The older Demon has finally found the presence of mind to release her sister's mouth. As soon as she does, Patti's giggling fills up the space between Liz and her Tamer's glaring battle.

Finally, Liz sighs, not that she ever had a chance of winning against her Tamer.

"Some things should not be said out loud, Elizabeth," the man declares, coming into full view. His golden gaze settles on Maka after shooting warning glances at both of his Demons.

"Maka Albarn," the man greets, appraising her with a long, sweeping look. She stares up into his pale face, carefully reminding herself to not linger on the three stripes of white in his hair.

"Death the Kid," she responds, giving a slight nod. She does not know his true name, but then, neither does anyone else besides his father and possibly his Demons. The son of Shibusen Organization's founder has an approving look on his face. Though she and he are not close, they had had many times together when Lord Death was deciding Maka's fate as a half-Demon. He hadn't aged a day since she met him, appearing as a twenty-year-old, born middle-aged, powerful young man even now.

"I see you have put my father's gift to good use," he observes, "A good motivation, hmm?" He makes a beckoning gesture with a hand resting at his side, a mere flick of the wrist. His two Tamed Demons come up beside him immediately. He places a cool hand on Maka's shoulder.

"I'd love to stay and discuss your achievement with you, Miss Albarn," Death the Kid states, his voice in that calm state that radiates a fierce energy, "But I, unfortunately, have work to attend to. Elizabeth, Patricia, come." The three famous members of Shibusen start to walk away then, an argument on the Sister Demons' lack of fighting clothes starting up as they round the corner. Maka follows them with her eyes until the walls hide them from view. She breathes deeply. She understands Kid's true meaning behind the hand on her shoulder.

_He's ready for you, _he was saying, _Good luck. _

And she is sure she will need it. Lord Death may be a generally comical figure, but he is also frightening as Night Hunt itself. Her true fear though, does not come from the man she has grown up knowing as a fearsome leader and slayer of Demons. She knows something about Tamers who manage to bring back powerful Demons. They disappear - terminated for their own sake. The half-Demon reckons she is more at risk of that outcome than any other Tamer ever was.

Maka Albarn steps under the guillotine entrance way to Lord Death's rooms. Her new, knee-high, black boots tap out a dignified rhythm as she nears the mirror centered in the room.

"Ah," a happy, cartoon-like voice comes from nowhere, "I see you succeeded."

Maka spins on her heels instantly, coming face to mask with Lord Death. She blinks once.

"Yes, Lord Death." The masked man seems to smile, though the half-Demon cannot be certain because of the white skull hiding his visage.

"The clothes fit you." The new Tamer nods her head in thanks. She has known the first Tamer for long enough to understand he doesn't mean the uniform is her size; he is telling her she is meant to be a Tamer. It is the highest praise after her dark, confusing history here.

Lord Death passes Maka Albarn to stand close to the signature full-length mirror in his room. The tattered ends of his robe tickle Maka's ankles with his movement. He rotates to face her. The bright atmosphere of the room darkens suddenly, the skull mask shadowing and becoming the fearsome face expected of Lord Death.

"Well then, Tamer Maka Albarn," the first Tamer commands, his voice low, "Call out your Demon." The girl draws back the sleeve of her long coat and tugs down her fingerless glove just a little. She closes her eyes for a moment and breathes.

"Soul Eater..."

Her eyes snap open. They glow green. Her claws extend. Her fangs drop from her gums. She slashes the tattoos.

"_Come!"_

The white floor becomes a dark and red mass. The two colors swirl together. At the center of the spiral, flames grow skyward. They fold over each other and cool into wrought iron gates. The spiders and snakes crawl and slither, moving into place on the gate. With the most horrible screaming of the trapped souls inside the Hell gate, the spider-and-snake gate creaks open.

Soul Eater steps out. His red eyes flash above his dignified smirk.

Maka momentarily forgets to breathe.

Her Demon is dressed in a pinstriped suit, his unruly white hair teasing the edge of the perfectly pressed collar. His shiny, black dress shoes click on the linoleum. He stands with his body angled toward his Tamer, smoldering eyes trained on Lord Death. One hand casually straightens his tie, the other shoved into his pocket. She briefly wonders how she would have reacted last night had he been dressed like _that. _

Her lip stings. She can taste blood. She quickly reverts her body to its most human form. Maka hadn't even been aware she was digging her fang into her lip. Her reversion closes the gate behind her Demon with a loud crash, snapping her brain out of the haze.

"You called, my Tamer?" His voice is low and dangerous, echoing around them with that same ethereal quality. Maka fixes her eyes on Lord Death.

"On my request, yes, she did," the dark-robed man announces, demanding the Demon's attention.

"Y-you!" Soul's fangs slide out, the jewelry in his pointed ears catching the light as he crouches. A growl reverberates around the room. Maka can feel the vibration in her chest. Her skin tingles.

"Don't be rude, Soul Eater," she murmurs, her forced blank gaze trained on him, "You work for him now." The Demon snarls out curses, informing her that he'd rather die than be under this man. Maka narrows her eyes, threatening to use her reign over his blood to force him to behave. A burn starts up in her shoulder, a slight reminder that he may have control over her as well.

"I don't believe you will have to worry about being under my control, Prince of the Two Queens."

Maka and Soul whirl around immediately, both pairs of eyes opened wide. Maka's heart starts to speed up, anger growing in the pit of her stomach.

"Lord Death," she whispers lowly, "You can't mean..." She doesn't finish her sentence. The gates swirling at the first Tamer's feet are answer enough. No Demon rises from Hell, not yet anyway. The rules are simple. Every new Tamer must present her Demon to Lord Death. In most cases, he congratulates his subordinate and dismisses the new pair. Today, it seems the other, less common end to the presentation will occur. If Lord Death does not approve the Taming, he terminates it. In other words, he kills the Tamer.

The screaming of evil souls resounds in the suddenly tense air of Lord Death's room as he opens two gates on either side of him.

"I told you to find a powerful Demon, Maka, but I did not expect you to Tame someone like _him._" Marie, the Demon Princess who had given Maka her assignment in Japan, and Azusa, the Demon Princess who had given Maka her gift from Lord Death, rise from the depths of Hell. The room they are in explains the need for them to be there. When they settle on Soul Eater, shock radiates off them in waves. Marie's mouth moves in a whisper, forming the Prince's name. He narrows his eyes at them, a silent challenge.

Maka steps forward then, her anger and panic tossing away her mask of apathy. The sudden proximity with her Demon may have also had something to do with it.

"Why!?" She demands, "What's wrong with my Demon!?" Her eyes glow just a bit, traces of the expression she used to wear before her Demon blood started raging out of control at age twelve and she could really play pure human showing on her face. A slightly determined set to her eyes and a stubborn line on her full lips shocked the first Tamer. His resolve to terminate this Taming hardened. It is plain to him that the Demon Prince Soul Eater would make Maka Albarn lose her humanity.

"You've heard of the Two Queens, Maka?" The girl nods.

"I know they created Soul," she states.

"Then do you know all about them?" Lord Death asks. Maka pauses, giving a single raised eyebrow to dictate her negative answer. Lord Death takes a step forward. "Why don't you explain them to her, Prince Soul Eater?"

The Prince sighs, spinning back toward his Tamer. "My creators, as I said earlier, live outside the law. Their names are Medusa, The Snake Queen, and Arachne, The Spider Queen. They are sisters with powers so outside of the council's control that they can do whatever they please. They are the closest to the Demon King." Maka tilts her head ever so slightly to the left.

"And what does that have to do with you?"

Soul's smirk becomes a sharp-toothed grimace. "I was created with the Demon King's blood." He presses his claw to the back of his hand, opening up a small laceration on his tanned skin. Maka watches in fascination as the blood coming directly from the source appears black. "I am the second incarnation of Asura himself." Sadness hides behind the Demon's eyes as he talks, Maka sees it, storing away the interesting emotion as a fact for later.

"Thank you, Soul Eater," the first Tamer interrupts, "So now you see, Tamer Maka, the danger of Taming that Prince." Soul growls at Lord Death's talking as if he's not there.

Lord Death turns his masked face toward Maka, regret shimmering in his powerful aura. "Maka, I had such high hopes for you." He touches the shoulders of the two Demons beside him. They uncurl their tails, the tips trailing on the ground as they prepare to fight. Claws extend and fangs curl over bloody, red lips.

"I wanted you to keep your human face forever, to be just a little stronger than normal Tamers. If you had taken a Mid-Level Demon, your Demon blood would not be at risk, but to Tame Prince Soul Eater..." His eyes glow under his mask. "That was the worst mistake. I can see you can't even control yourself around him. I'm sorry." He releases his Demons' shoulders. They lunge for the Tamer.

"No!" Soul is suddenly there, his own tail whipping around him as a wide kick throws back the two Demon Princesses.

"Don't touch my Tamer!" He's mortified that he would say something like that. Something so protective, so familiar, had never before even crossed his mind. This halfling girl is something too dangerous to him, and it's addicting.

Marie and Azusa charge back at him, wild screams in their throats. Soul ducks under Marie, coming up to dig his claws into Azusa's stomach. The Demon cries out. Marie whips back. Her tail lights with the glow of Demon Poison. Soul's body abruptly erupts in flame.

"We all know the outcome of this battle!" He shouts at Lord Death. "Send them back or I will kill them!" Marie growls in indignation; Azusa bristles in silent fury. How dare the Prince of the Two Queens treat them, his fellow Demons, as useless human trash!

The first Tamer raises a hand, his two Demons pausing. Soul takes the opportunity to shout.

"I am required by the Blood Exchange to protect my Tamer!" His fire leaks off him and surround Maka in a barrier of Hellfire. "And I am not letting someone like you, a Hell-reject, to kill her!" There's a pause, Lord Death and Soul Eater staring at each other. Soul's shoulders heave with the force of his anger. The air is tight. Lord Death drops his hand.

"Now!" Marie leaps at Soul. The tense calm shatters. He focuses on her, stealthily avoiding her poison tail. She slides; he leaps. She claws; he twists her wrist. She screams; he kicks. Her tail darts toward his neck; he tangles it up with his own and snaps her arm. Her following shriek shakes the air. Soul throws her to the ground, dropping to straddle her. He pins her legs, traps her healthy arm. He raises his arm. His claws glint. Marie's throat is bared.

"Are you sure you want to do that?" The voice echoes, freezing Soul's blood. He turns his head slowly. Azusa is holding Maka still, her claws at the girl's neck.

"Release her!" Azusa demands, pressing her nails just a bit closer into the girl's throat. Soul sucks in a breath, moving reluctantly to release Marie, the woman now sobbing beneath his choke hold. His hearts beats fast. _No. _He can feel his Tamer's intense emotion flowing thorugh his body, her clear orders not to move. His eyes settle on her fingertips. Glistening on the end of her finger is blood. It's Azusa's.

"Do it, Prince Soul Eater!"

_No. _He doesn't move. Maka is commanding him. He won't move.

"Prin-!"

_"Stay!" _The command echoes just a little. While Azusa is here under Lord Death's control, the command holds little power, but it is enough to freeze the Demon Princess for a mere shocked second. It is enough for Maka to escape the Demon's grasp. Soul is beside her immediately, his body in front of hers like a shield. She presses a hand to his back, endorsing their Blood Exchange.

Marie and Azusa come to face them again, both wimpering a little and wary. Lord Death goes to order Maka's death again when something just short of a miracle enters the room.

"What's going on here?" The drawl is low and slightly manic, commanding the attention of all but one occupant in the room. Lord Death himself keeps his attention on Maka and her Demon where they stand preparing to fight for their lives. The others, the three Demon nobles and a halfling focus instead on a silver-haired man in a long white coat.

"Professor Franken Stein," Maka whispers. She knows Soul's sensitive ears will hear everything she says, regardless of whether or not she actually voices it. The Blood Exchange is running strong, their tattoos writhing on their skin. "He is the greatest Tamer besides Lord Death."

"I sense an 'and', Little Tamer."

She sighs a bit. "He trained me." Soul surprise is apparent. This man, completely human besides his Tamer capability, has the strength of at least a half-Demon. He wants to fight him. Maka's nails (which are lengthened into claws) dig through the fabric of his suit-jacket and peirce his skin. Ow. Ok, no fights.

"And?" He prompts again, lacking any other words.

"He's the very definition of 'mad scientist'." The man, Franken Stein, looks the part. He has a legitimate screw through his head which he turns every so many thoughts. His clothes have been stitched back together so many times it's a wonder his sewing skills haven't improved at all. The Tamer's crest emblazoned on his lab coat is the only part that is whole and unblemished, the silver shining brightly.

"Professor Stein," Lord Death muses, "What brings you here?" Marie and Azusa relax a tad, feeling the strain from their Tamer released.

"I could feel the most curious Demon blood fighting in here," the scientist explains. He turns his head lazily, flicking the screw on his head as his eyes settle on Maka and her Demon. "And this would explain it. A half-Demon and a Demon Prince of the highest caliber in a Blood Exchange together would cause the most _interesting _partnership. I can't wait to see what happens with you two." He ends his short monologue with direct focus on Soul Eater, a smirk drawn on his face.

Lord Death coughs. "I'm afraid that won't be possible, Stein." The scientist looks at his boss with mock shock.

"Surely you can't mean you're going to terminate this excellent wealth of knowledge, Lord Death?" He walks over to the pair in question, looking straight into Soul Eater's eyes before turning back to the first Tamer.

"Stein, you've known Maka as long as I have. You know this can't be safe for her or anyone else."

"But think of the science, Lord Death!" Franken Stein interrupts, throwing up his hands in an overly dramatic display. "All the things I- we could learn. Such a _waste. _Terrible, really. A true waste." His glasses flash when Lord Death's rigid posture falls. He looks at his two Demons and waves. Marie and Azusa disappear, vanishing through the gate.

"You will be in charge of this then, Professor," Lord Death orders. He's angry, yes, but he never could refuse the Tamer closest to him. The silver-haired man nods.

"Of course," he agrees, "I would expect that to be your command." He waves his hand behind his back, ushering Maka and her Demon away before the first Tamer has a chance to change his mind. As they exit, they hear Stein tell Lord Death something about him actually being a big softie. This is followed by an indignant cry one might hear from a child from Lord Death. Wonders will never cease, decidedly.

Maka leads the way out of Lord Death's rooms hurriedly, her hands interlaced behind her back and her face carefully blank. She's trying to keep it that way, but Soul's presence makes it difficult for her. Throughout their time in her boss's presence, she had been able to store away the magnetic feeling drawing her toward her Demon, letting herself act less like a robot, but now, outside of the need to be strictly professional, her blood's boiling is starting to become an unbearable itch.

It's an awkward moment after the pair exits the Death Room; they stand and stare at each other, one lazily smirking, the other purposely emotionless. Maka prays fervently behind her mask, asking for just enough self-control to get her Demon Prince back to Hell without giving into her own Demon blood. She breathes in deeply, ignoring the spicy cologne filtering through her nose. Her face and voice are schooled, falling with slight difficulty into perfect apathy.

"Thank you." After the silence, the Demon Prince hardly expects his Tamer to articulate anything, anti-social thing that she is. It shocks him a little, that they're still standing a reasonable distance away. Lord Death's words had hit the nail on the head: the physical need between them is unsettling. It sets off a small warning ring in his head that the Demon Prince can't identify.

Soul lets a dangerous sneer crawl clear across his face. "Sure thing, Little Watcher. I will be keeping track of how much you owe me." He turns and walks away then, Maka wandering beside him entirely too close. He takes her silence as an affirmative, permission to call in favors whenever he needs them.

"With our upcoming battles, I'm going to need repayment," he informs her, his suit melting into his original clothing: red jeans with the chain, disgustingly dirty sneakers, and no shirt. His tattoos are beautiful. Maka has to force herself not to stare at them, glancing discreetly at her hand where the ends of his copies lay.

Maka opens her mouth to comment when the ceiling shakes, a loud, boisterous noise cascading down on them.

Soul doesn't even spare a glance up, his eyes smoldering and wisps of Hellfire swirling around him. He takes a step closer to his Tamer, his flames ghosting over her skin.

"Maka!" He tugs her arm, grip firm, but she rips it away, shaking her head once.

"Don't use your fire," she drawls, a sigh of annoyance almost leaking into her voice. It's barely detected by the Demon Prince. "This is nothing." Soul Eater gives her a sideways glance. He can't help the instinct to protect welling up inside him. His blood is beginning to boil, Maka's own return glance informing him of her disapproval. Above them, he can feel the fire of another Demon and her Tamer. The sound of sharpened metal sliding together rings ever so slightly in his ears. His claws and fangs start to slide from his human appearance. His Tamer isn't even tensed.

Lightning flashes.


	4. Fourth Introduction

**Demon Tamer Glossary (So-Far)**

_**Chapter One: **__First Watch_

_ Excerpt: _Demon tails represent their level of power and have special properties within them.

We meet Maka, a Watcher, as she journeys to Japan to assist with the first part of Night Hunt. Against orders, she stays for the Second Part and takes on Soul Eater, the Demon Prince of the Two Queens. She earns new tattoos for her effort.

_**Chapter Two: **__Second Call_

_ Excerpt: _Information on Blood Exchange and its side effects.

Maka is taken back to her hotel by her father under orders from Lord Death. She wakes there and is attacked by pain in her right arm where her tattoos are. She calls out her Demon in desperate attempt to relieve the pain. It works, but by effect of Heightened Emotion, she and Soul sleep together. They discover the possibility of having Double Blood Exchange and Maka's royal demon blood allowing it. Maka orders Soul to stay.

_**Chapter Three: **__Third Order_

_ Excerpt: _Lord Death is the First Tamer of Demons and the only man to make it through Hell and survive. He has a son known as Death the Kid.

Maka and Soul wake after their night together. They discuss the effects of Maka's half-demon blood on their relationship. Though Soul doesn't feel weak, Maka can tell he is shaking a little and sends him back to Hell. Later, she goes back to Nevada and is called to Lord Death's room. He asks her to call out her Demon and is shocked as the Prince she produces. He threatens to end their Blood Exchange despite the fact that it will kill Maka when he is stopped by Franken Stein for the sake of science. Most of the hierarchy of Hell is explained.

_**Index/Demon Tamer Dictionary So Far: **__All the Words and Phrases You Should Know by Now_

_**Watcher: **__a human with the capability to Tame a Demon who has not yet done so_

_**Demon: **__a creature of Hell created by one of the Demon Queens. They correspond to the Weapons of the Soul Eater universe. _

_**Blood Exchange: **__the contract between a Demon and Tamer. This contract turns a Watcher into a Tamer. The Tamer and Demon literally exchange blood, shown by the Tamer taking on the Demon's tattoos. A terminated Blood Exchange (either by loss of tattoos or Lord Death's interference) will always result in the Tamer's death (the Demon will be fine...unless it gets killed first...) except in the case of Low-Level Demons because they have very little power. However, the Tamer's lifespan is shortened._

_**Tattoos: **__the markings of a Demon. Every Tamer takes on the Tattoos of a Demon during the Taming in a mirror or reflection on their body. A Demon is not a Demon if it does not have Tattoos. Note: even Maka, a half-demon, has Tattoos, a set of wings on her back. Unlike normal pureblood Demons though, hers are not on her arms where they can be accessed by Watchers._

_**Lord Death: **__still the ruler of the place, Shibusen Agency. Instead of being shinigami, he is an immortal human who has journeyed to hell and lived to tell the tale. His son plans to complete these two tasks as his father's successor, but is already immortal._

_**Hell Queens: **__the creators of Demons. They are angels who followed the Devil down to Hell. They have a government system in the form of a council, but its control is shaky at best. They correspond with the Witches of the Soul Eater universe._

_**Demon Princes/Princesses: **__the strongest Demons in Hell. They are only under orders from the Queens, and only the ones who created them. The first Demon Prince was Wes Evans, Soul Eater's brother. They (spoiler: except for Wes) correspond with the Death Scythes in the Soul Eater universe._

_**The Two Queens: **__Arachne and Medusa. They, as a sister team, are the creators of Wes Evans and Soul Eater. Arachne was their creator, but Medusa is the one who trained and raised Soul. More to be revealed on this later in Demon Tamer...They are the Strongest Queens in Hell and reject the council. They are capable of turning the Evil Souls of Dead Human into their slaves._

_**Low Level Demons: **__Pictured as Kisshin Eggs in my head...but basically, the lowest form of Demon that comes out mostly during the first part of night hunt. They are the easiest to Tame. Some Tamers Tame multiple Low Levels and get new ones when those Demons die. The Blood Exchange between Tamers and Low-Level Demons is not strong enough to kill off a Tamer._

_**Night Hunt: **__The only time when UnTamed Demons can get onto the Earthly plane. Characterized by a bleeding moon with a maniacal face and Hellfire all around the streets and other lines on Earth, Night Hunt can happen every night, or not at all for years. It depends on the power in Hell and the Blood Lust of the Demons. For this reason, many Tamers take on nocturnal sleep patterns. Night Hunt is split into two parts: the first happens before Midnight. This part is filled with mostly Low Level Demons and the occassional Mid-Level. The Second Part is after Midnight and where more Mid-Levels come out. Watchers are not allowed out during the second part of Night Hunt. Note: Demon Princes rarely come out during Night Hunt; they have subordinates bring them what they desire. _

_**Mid-Level Demons: **__These are the most commonly Tamed Demons. It is highly respectable to Tame one of them. They correspond with Weapons who are not Death Scythes in the Soul Eater Universe. The more powerful ones usually holds positions in the Demon Courts._

_**Heightened Emotion: **__A side effect of a Taming. The fresh blood exchange can cause the emotions of both the Demon and Tamer to mingle within one body. If it is not released, it can drive the Tamer mad. The higher power the Demon possesses, the stronger the side effect can be. A.K.A. an excuse I made up for Soul and Maka to have sex._

_Fun Fact: Last chapter, third order, Stein mentioned "next volume of Blood Exchange". That means he wrote __**Blood Exchange: A Guide to the Inner Workings of Taming**__, the excerpt at the beginning of chapter two, second call!_

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**Dedicated to Hackingofthedead and CodiBleu**

**Review and Enjoy, please!**

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Demon Tamer

A Soul Eater FanFiction

by CoriRedde

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_**The Unknown World**_

_**Little Known Facts About the UnderWorld Edition**_

Excerpt From: Entrances, Hell's Gates

_The gates of Hell are a common sight during Night Hunt with Tamers and Watchers flooding the streets to banish Demons back to their home world. The gate itself does not open to a specific place for it is not a set place. Instead, the gate is actually a tear in space-time that allows Hell to forcefully pull everything related to it back to its depths. This being the case, the gates do not accept those of human blood to be taken through the gate. Only Lord Death of the Shibusen Agency has been to Hell and remains close lipped on the subject...We do know that the gate has the pressure of being a mile under water, and that only those who have a demon guide can get through the gate. However, those who succeed presumably do not live long because they are never seen again._

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**Demon Tamer**

**Fourth Introduction**

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The yell is obnoxious, to say the least. Soul watches in slight amazement as his Tamer's usually blank face shatters for just a moment. A moment too long, he can see her cringe.

"YAHOO!" And falling from the guillotines above the newly registered pair is a human boy with ridiculous blue hair and too many weapons to count. With a short sword drawn in reverse grip in his left hand, he descends directly onto Maka. The girl glances up with a bored expression before spinning on her heal and lifting the other leg. Her reverse roundhouse kick catches the short boy in the stomach and sends him crashing into the wall. The boy is up and running not a second after, his energy boundless and (in Soul's opinion) skull-splitting.

"Tsubaki!" He shouts, the star-tattoo at his shoulder glowing a little. The camellia flowers floating down his arm seem to swirl in the wind. There is a fresh cut at his wrist, the laceration already stitching itself back together. From the rafters where the boy himself had leapt, a girl with midnight hair takes her own dive. She lands gracefully on two feet, her hands folded politely in front of her. She wears a gentle smile, but the deep purple of her eyes glints the evil fire of Hell. She gives the blonde Tamer in front of her a simple greeting.

"Hello, Maka," she says, her voice accented, "It has been awhile since I last saw you."

Maka merely agrees with her. "It has."

Tsubaki's eyes flit to the tall man next to her Tamer's friend. They open impossibly wide.

"P-prince Sou-!"

"Hello, Duchess," Soul smirks. Maka's insides melt just a little bit looking at that expression. Her face is predictably devoid of emotion. Inside her head she berate herself for feeling so much. Her only block against her Demon side had been living like a machine: mechanical and emotionless. Lord Death does have proper claim in saying that she could lose control from being bound so tightly to Soul Eater, but she can't give in to thoughts like that. It equates to losing.

"WHAT IS GOING ON!" The boy who first attacked shouts, jerking Maka from her thoughts. A vein pulses in his temple. He waves the ninja sword around with his wild hand motions. His Demon shifts just barely with every move he makes, avoiding the blade by mere millimeters, a serene smile still in place. "WHO ARE YOU? TSUBAKI, YOU KNOW THIS GUY? MAKA- WAIT! ARE THOSE TATTOOS? FINALLY-!" Maka jams her knee up and into the boy's stomach. He coughs violently, but such actions are the only way to get anything into his skull.

"Black*Star," she states, her voice a vast contrast to the blue-haired boy's boisterous cries, "This is Soul Eater. He is my Demon. I can see, Tsubaki, that you already know him." Black*Star rounds on his Demon at the last part. Maka doesn't even bother to pretend to feel apologetic for making the Demon girl whom

"Who is he, Tsubaki?" He demands, leaning up into the noticeably taller Demon's face. It doesn't faze her at all.

"He is a Demon Prince," the dark-haired Demon answers, "And the strongest of all of us. I am a member of his Court along with Liz and Patti. That's why I'm a Duchess."

"So you are under The Two Queens as well?" Maka intones, her head tilted ever so slightly to the left. Tsubaki nods her confirmation.

"Yes, but I was not created by them."

The short moment of peaceful conversation rises back to across-the-entire-state volume levels.

"You Tamed a Demon Prince, Maka?" Black*Star's grin is a little jealous but mostly proud for his friend whom he embraces promptly. Maka stiffens, allowing the contact but not moving to further it. Soul growls lightly under his breath. His instincts tell him to keep all hands but his own away from his Tamer's body. The blood exchange hums softly. Soul glances at Maka, but she is keeping her focus firmly on Black*Star, a clear warning for her Demon to not show any signs of trouble

"Always knew you were strong, Princess," the blue-haired Tamer teases, reaching up to pat his hand on top of Maka's head. He flexes his own muscles, "But not strong enough to beat me in a fight!" His obvious goading only prompts Maka to merely raise an eyebrow. She makes no move to attack him, and, honestly, the other Tamer should have known not to expect her to. Black*Star's crossed arms sag; his face droops in bored disappointment.

"Gah!" He throws up his hands, "Why do I even try anymore?" He moves to walk away, his finger raised to gesture to his Demon and order her with him. He sheaths his ninja sword, throws on his wide grin, and tosses a wave over his shoulder. "See you later, Maka." Before Tamer and Demon Duchess can round the corner, Maka calls out to them.

"Tsubaki," she says, "Do you know where Death Kid, Liz, and Patti are going?" The docile Demon shakes her head. She looks apologetically at the blonde Tamer before settling her eyes on Soul Eater. His eyes narrow a little.

"It is not strong enough," he intones, the corner of his mouth quirking in the beginnings of that devastatingly-handsome-but-cruel smirk. Tsubaki's face shows sadness and determination, and odd mix of melancholy that Maka makes note to question her about later. The echo behind Soul's voice has become more pronounced as he takes an authoritative stance.

"For now, my Prince," the beautiful Demon murmurs docilely, "It is enough."

"Do not bother to threaten me with warnings of laters, Duchess," Soul warns. Tsubaki glances down and breathes. Then she tosses her head up and meets Soul's gaze evenly.

"May it be a promise then," Tsubaki warns, her tail lashing around behind her. Then the Demon continues on her way out, following Black*Star's shouts for her to 'leave that Demon Prince to suffer at the hands of the Princess Tamer, poor bastard'. Maka sighs, a small puff of air that tickles Soul's chest as she turns to face him. He gives her a confused smirk.

"He calls you princess?"

"Were you born stupid?" Maka glares, her emotions and expressions slipping out again with none but Soul present. "I told you my father is Spririt Albarn, a Demon Prince." Soul looks deflated, as if he had suspected something a lot more interesting than that. Actually, he _had_ expected more interest. That tidbit of information is something he already knows, having called his Tamer that name many times before the Blood Exchange became too much to resist last night. He shivers in remembrance of being with her.

"Oh," he says stupidly, trying to simultaneously push away his thoughts of his Tamer under him and hold onto the memory of her calling his name. "So that Tamer knows about you, then?"

Maka turns to start walking, placing herself a few paces ahead of the her Demon. "Yes, he does. With Spirit Albarn being my father, as a Demon Prince, Black*Star used to call me Princess to get a rise out of me." She clenches a hand into an annoyed fist.

"Used to work, too," she says, "then my powers started getting the best of me. Sometimes he would get really injured." Her voice becomes softer as she speaks, a nostalgic gleam in her green eyes. It's strange to see her look so _human,_ when usually her half-Demon blood is plain as day to him. He's shocked that he finds the expression on her face extremely inviting. Suddenly, the Blood Exchange rings out a high note in their ears. The Demon and Tamer pair stop, taking precautionary steps away from each other. It doesn't help much, that same pull is still there. Maka considers the idea that, once activated, the Blood Exchange will keep growing stronger between them until it gets what it wants. That's abnormal of any Blood Exchange she has heard or read about, but then, she's coined their Blood Exchange the Double Blood Exchange. There are bound to be differences, and she can bet they are dangerous differences. It wouldn't be from Hell if it wasn't.

"Come on, my Demon," Maka says after moment of apparent thought, "We need to learn our limits and how to control the flow of blood between us."

* * *

"Kid, are you sure you want to do this?" Liz's voice is worried, the echo reverberating a little more than usual. "Hell isn't that great of a place..." She trails off as her Tamer turns a strict gaze on her. Patti dawdles behind the two of them, kicking up the dirt they walk on. She has her hand clasped behind her back, and her teeth are worrying her bottom lip. Even the usually bright demon has mellowed out in fear for her Tamer.

"I must do this, Elizabeth," the son of the First Tamer says, his voice rumbling in his chest, "My father doesn't ask much of me, but there are some things that cannot be done twice. Entering hell is one of those things."

Patti finally picks up her pace, grabbing her Tamer's hand and dropping to her knees in front of him. She presses her forehead to the back Death the Kid's hand. He can feel a tear drop of hers on his fingertips. He watches her shoulders shake as she tries to stop herself from crying.

"W-we can go down for you," Patti pleads, "Let us go to the court. We're Demons! We can-"

"No, Patricia," Kid states. He tugs his hand from her grip carefully to avoid the claws that had slipped from her control as strong emotions pulled her body. He gently touches the ends of her pointed ears, pressing the pad of his thumb to the topaz set in her cartilage. It is a gift from him to both Demons. The sisters both wear yellow topaz in their ears on delicate silver.

"Patti..." Liz sighs, leaning down to help her sister up. "You know we can't go there. We're part of the Two Queens Court. We are separated from the laws of the Council." The trio begins moving again in whatever direction Kid is taking them.

"Then let _her _do it!" Patti argues, crossing her arms over her ample chest. "_She_'s plenty strong enough for this!"

"_She_ is acting as my guide in this operation, Patricia," Kid answers, voice short, "And both of you are coming down with me." He stops walking abruptly, spinning to face his two Demons with a strong, determined expression laid over his handsome features. "So let's get this over with. You know the plans and procedures; everything will be ok." He may sound reassuring, but the two Demon sisters do not take the bait and bite.

"It is not that we do not know the plan, Kid," Liz starts tentatively, "It is fear. We are worried for you. There are so many things that can go wrong. Your world makes it sound like the Council makes Hell a well-governed society. The truth is anything but that...and you want to go right into the middle of it. Just one mistake and...and...what if-?"

"What if you end up like your father?" Patti says in a very small voice, "Deformed by the miasma or...or what if you lose us? I...I can't-!"

Kid grabs his two Demons up in a group hug immediately. He murmurs promises of safety into their ears. He promises to act safely. He asks them for a little faith. He reminds them that their teamwork has protected cities single-handedly during Night Hunt. He praises them for being fabulous Demons. He compliments their clothes. He strokes their hair as the last of the tears fall. He warns them against getting cocky in the Council, that is could be their downfall. The two sisters repeat the same things back Death the Kid. He smiles gently. The Demons echo it.

"Touching," a new voice interrupts. Three pairs of eyes narrow. Their bodies respond slowly, twisting to see the pink-haired young woman who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Technically, having risen from Hell's gate, it is possible that nowhere may not be that far off.

"Alright," the pink-haired woman says impatiently. "Nice to see you again, Death the Kid." The Tamer steps forward with his right hand outstretched to shake with the girl. She introduces herself as Kim. Death the Kid, activating the Blood Exchange, informs Liz and Patti that Kim is Shibusen's double agent. She works for the Council while secretly under the tutelage of Queen Arachne and even more secretly as a member of Shibusen.

"Likewise, Kim," the son of the First Tamer responds, holding out a hand for the Hell Queen to shake. The contact is firm but brief, revealing the tension in the two should-be-enemies as they face their assigned task. Kid gives Patti a glance, silently asking her to prepare herself. The Demon girl sniffs, wiping her hand first across her cheeks to get rid of the evidence of crying and second on the red silk of her dress. Liz grabs her sister's hand, the both of them putting on brave faces. Behind them, their tails twine together in a show of support.

"Well," the Hell Queen murmurs, "I guess we should get going." She spins around and stretches out a hand. The air around them warms up with Hellfire, making a cyclone that glints off the shimmering material of the Demon sisters' dresses. Liz's gown flares dramatically around her ankles. Both she and Patti shiver in delight as the Hellfire touches the skin exposed from the cutouts in their red outfits.

"I should warn you," Kim says, her voice dropping low and ringing with power, "That this could kill you, Death the Kid. You may find yourself unable to control your Blood Exchange as the power in your Demons will as much as triple. This is the only way though. Lucky for you, you already got the immortal genes from Lord Death, but those will not return you to life should you be consumed by your own Demons before you return to complete the Undead Tamer ceremony." The veins in the Hell Queen's arms stand out suspiciously bright for a moment before the skin peels back and blood oozes down into the center of the fiery pit she had awoken.

"_Those who enter here are mortal, gifts to be devoured," _her voice echoes wildly, mimicking the natural reverb of a Demon's voice, as she casts a spell on Hell itself, _"come to dance in screaming song, the Prince, the lost, the portal." _

The earth screams as it is torn open. A gate cackles loudly at the pain, the iron bars clawing away at the earth's crust until they come to form an open maw with a fiery path down to Hell. The fire roars in triumph of reaching from its domain to unconquerable earth, but Kim's elegant hand waving through the vicious flames is enough to silence them.

In total silence, the Hell Queen turns to face Death the kid. The son of the First Tamer wears an expression that cannot be deterred: courage. His Demons take on his mood just a step back from his shoulders. Their tails whip about them, and the multitude of earrings decorating their ears glint in the dimming light of the Hellfire. Kim's eyes ask the question as she descends beyond the gate.

_Do you dare?_

Hundreds of years ago, Lord Death was faced with the same question. At present, his son could not back away from the challenge his father unintentionally set out. The whole world seems to hold its breath as Kid's right foot lifts from the earthly plane and takes that first step into Hell. He senses his Demons behind him, their wickedness becoming palpable in the thick miasma of Hell. It sends pangs up and down his tattooed arms, but it is nothing he cannot overcome. He sets his shoulders and brings his left foot to follow his right. Kim seems to laugh just ahead of him. Death the Kid, ever the embodiment of dignity, ignores her and continues on at his own pace. Hell isn't going anywhere, he reasons.

The special Hell gate that the Hell Queen had opened for him is startlingly dark. The farther down into the bowels of the earth the son of the First Tamer descends, the less he is able to see. Surprisingly, the Hellfire does not rage around the four travelers as he had expected from seeing the gates his own Demons ascend from when he calls them.

However, true to Kim's words, the farther into the walk Kid goes, the more he can feel the evil of his Demons. He feels them shedding their more human exterior. Fangs glow dimly in the dark of the tunnel, fully extended; claws slip from their hiding place as blunt, human fingernails. Death the Kid knows their lips will become more red and their eyes more clear a blue as they near their power source.

His tattoos writhe uncontrollably on his skin, the blood exchange activating on its own. He doesn't feel any loss of control. The trust and loyalty he feels emanating from Liz and Patti assure him that control will not be lost despite Kim's warnings.

The walk seems to take hours, days, weeks, months, and mere seconds all at the same time. When Kim's footsteps finally stop their soft tapping on the gate's floor, Death the Kid cannot see a thing. He can sense light ahead from the warmth he feels radiating in front of the travelers.

"There is another gate here," Kim's voice weaves through the quiet and the gentle drip, drip, drop of stale water that permeated the air in the tunnel, "It will open into the hallway of the Witch's Council just as your father requested. I suggest you enter from there alone; Duchess Elizabeth and her younger sister Duchess Patricia are part of the Two Queens' Court after all."

Kid gives a solid nod of agreement, stepping forward with a hand raised to touch the seemingly flawless end of the tunnel.

"Open it, Queen Kim," he intones, "I am prepared."

The glow of Hellfire returns suddenly and without warning. It illuminates Kim who called it, and then stretches out to the two powerful Demons behind the son of the First Tamer. Death the Kid feels it last, the warmth almost like a lover's caress before seeping under his skin to scald his heart and treat him to a taste of Hell. In the light, Kid can see Kim's hand pressed to the would-be door in front of them. She's muttering again, her spells dancing in the light of the Hellfire.

_"Open guardian, head my call," _she all but sings, _"into Hell the mortal flesh fall." _There's a huge pressure as the lines of the door suddenly appear. It's akin to the pressure of an ocean puts on the ocean floor. Kid cannot even breathe. "_Rise doorway of simple fates, admit the sinners into the gates." _And the gates open. They melt away in the glow of Hellfire. Gravity shifts, tossing the four travelers downwards instead of forwards into Hell. The Hell Queen and the Demon Duchesses land skillfully. The latter two catch their Tamer before his face makes an unexpected acquaintance with the floor.

The four face the simple double doors that lead to the Queens' Council.

"Liz, Patti," Kid orders softly, "Get far from here, and stay hidden. Do not return unless you explicity feel me calling you. Understand?" The two Demons turn then and run off in a whirl of Hellfire. Kid can see their hands clasped together among the flames, seeking comfort. They have much to fear here as Tamed Demons and as members of the Two Queens Court.

The immortal boy fixes his cuffs, barely sparing a glance at the Hell Queen quide. "Kim, what are you going to do?"

The Hell Queen giggles a little. "Though this may be my first allegiance, I believe my second, my Queen Arachne, is calling me. I will go there before returning to lead you back to the earth plane." Death the Kid waves his hand dismissively, wishing Shibusen's double agent a safe return. She gives an easy smile before wrapping herself up in Hellfire and vanishing. The son of the First Tamer then takes a deep breath of the thick miasma, counting to three to give him companions time to follow his orders. When he opens his eyes, the gold focuses solely on the doors in front of him. His posture straightens to that of the best diplomat, his aura radiating peace and strength. Kim and Liz bite their lips in worry, their tails lashing in time with their racing hearts.

Kid marches forward and swings the door in, looking debonair and dashing.

The room into which he enters is beautiful. The scope of it is huge; the tapestries on the wall covering the histories of Demons, Night Hunt, the Hell Queens, and the Demon King in explicit detail. The ceiling appears to be painted in replica of the earth sky, but it is torn through with Hellfire. Despite its warnings for the coming apocalypse, Kid can't help but think it very pretty: the swirls of fire are even and symmetrical. Around the room are thirteen thrones, each decorated with different gems that do not exist on the earthly plane. If Kid were truly engrossed in the splendor of the room, he would have noticed that behind the center chair is a replica of his father's mirror.

However, his attention is captured by the overwhelming stench of blood in the room. For every Hell Queen gathered there is slumped in her chair, blood dribbling from her mouth and staining the extravagant dresses.

Kid's demeanor changes immediately, switching to cautious and wary. He creeps around the room slowly, passing by each slaughtered Hell Queen. His fingers brush the arm of the tenth Queen in the room. He freezes in his slow walk to the thirteenth throne.

He brings his hand up closer to his face. "It's not yet dried," he muses. "Then that means-!"

His outburst is halted by a weak cough. Death the Kid spins on his heel, stopping to stare at the one who had emitted such a pathetic sound.

"Y-you," the Hell Queen in the center throne rasps, her breathing harsh and halting, "are not me-eant to be here-" Her words break off into pants, blood trickling more obviously from the corner of her red lips.

"I've come on request of the First Tamer," Kid says regally. He approaches the thirteenth throne with care, unnerved by the piercing stare of the woman sitting in it.

The woman laughs humorlessly, her chest heaving with the effort. It is then that Kid notices the deep gash across her stomach. "Whatever you have come for, I cannot help you with." She grins wickedly, her teeth stained with blood.

"The Council has been destroyed."

Kid drops to his knees in front of the woman. He grips her hands. "Please, tell me who did this? Who-!?"

The doors slam open behind the son of the First Tamer. High, horrible laughter fills up the air around him. He releases the High Hell Queen's hands. He stands quickly. His feet slide naturally into the special Demon fighting art his father taught him: Sin Stance.

The room fills quickly. Demons of all levels lead in a few Creatures, the creations of Hell Queens from evil, once-human souls. The tails of the Demons lash around wildly. Some are lit on fire; others proudly display barbs and poison. The Creatures' eyes glow unnaturally in the light of the Hellfire the Demons brought in. The room is suddenly sweltering.

Kid glances back and forth at the enemies surrounding him. He feels his blood begin to sing at his shoulders. It's the Blood Exchange preparing for activation. The son of the First Tamer wills it away. If Liz and Patti are not detected, their Tamed status will not be revealed. The Two Queens of whose Court they belong will not kill them just to kill their Tamer.

"Well, well," says one Creature, stepping forward from the masses surrounding Death the Kid, "Look what has presented itself before us. Oh, will wonders never cease?" He gestures to the immortal boy. The Creature is short with a pointed nose and heavy brows. His skin is wrinkled and sallow. Kid appraises the room. There are not enough low-level Demons here to cause any need for him to call his Demons back to his side. There are two mid-level Demons, neither of which he senses to have been Tamed. That will make them use their power more wildly. He can twist that to his advantage during a fight. The only true worry for him here is the group of three creatures. There does not exist any way to gauge their strength. They are the ultimate wild cards.

"Who are you?" Kid demands of the group of thirty. They giggle viciously. The man with the pointed nose speaks again. Kid assumes him to be the leader of this operation. Therefore, he muses, the Creature must be quite powerful. Still, he does not allow his Blood Exchange to activate.

"You may call me Mosquito," the short Creature says with a sneer, "to my left is Free" -this one has an aura similar to that of a Hell Queen, but his 'No Future' tattoo labels him a creature- "and to my right is Crona." The last of the three Creatures is slight with pink hair and a timid stance. It, for Kid cannot determine a gender for the Creature, wears a long black robe that accents the wild purple of its eyes.

"We are the servants of Queen Arachne and Queen Medusa," the one called Mosquito continues, "and we are here to assure our work at the council is complete." Suddenly, Mosquito is behind Kid. The son of the First Tamer rotates slowly, his peripheral vision just catching the Creature tearing off the heads of the dead Hell Queens. Death the Kid blinks. He hadn't even seen the Creature _move. _

Kid takes a few steps, putting distance between him and Mosquito again. "What was the purpose of killing them?" His demands rings hollowly on the rising laughter of the onlookers.

Mosquito's laugh is loudest of all. "To give control of all Hell to my Queens, of course."

"What?!" Kid's eyes widen in disbelief. With this, his father's plan, the reason he was sent down here in the first place, is obsolete. No longer can they form an alliance with the Hell Queens' Council to work toward ending the need for Night Hunt and the bane of Taming. Ultimately, the goal is to end the reign of the Two Queens who have disrupted all the balance between the earth plane and Hell. Now, it all seems impossible.

"You mortals never stood a chance!" Mosquito cries, pointing a finger at the son of the First Tamer. "Now kill that human brat!"

The low-level Demons leap first, their oversized claws extended. Kid ducks under the first. He straightens into a reverse roundhouse kick. His heel catches a still airborn low-level. It is flung into the first one he ducked. The two Demons land in a heap on the ground; their claws snag and tear each other apart. Kid does not have time to watch the destruction by friendly fire. He snaps around to another attacker. He smashes his fist into the face of one low-level. It drops to its knees. Another whips its poison tail at him. Kid flips over it, crashing his elbows into the neck of the Demon on his descent. The tail takes out the Demon that had been the behind Death the Kid. His elbows kill the other.

There is an infuriated roar behind Kid. He drops to his knees instantly. He slides across the floor, tripping up many a Demon. He watches with sick satisfaction as the two mid-levels he had almost worried about earlier ended up grabbing the other's throat and tearing it to shreds. Both collapse in a fit of screams.

In a flurry of kicks, punches, dive rolls, and overall brilliant tactical maneuvers, Kid stands in the midst of dead Hell Queens and dead Demons. He got lucky with the two mid-levels. He thanks his father for his excellent training.

It's disgusting how Death the Kid holds out his arm with a low-level Demon's body skewered on it, but he does it do prove his battle proficiency as he turns to face Mosquito. The Creature's face is puffed up in anger. It burns bright red when Kid casually flicks the low-level's body to the ground.

"Surely," he starts, "You brought better than that."

"I can honestly say," Mosquito grinds out through his teeth, "that I was not expecting a fight." Kid rolls his eyes to call the Creature on his excuse. Mosquito seems to ignore him.

"But I can honestly say you are a very lucky fighter, Tamer." His eyes glint maliciously. "But that luck ends now. Against Crona, Free, and I..." His voice trails out.

Then Kid finds himself blinking down at the horrid face of the short Creature.

"You're dead, brat."

Crona is suddenly beside the son of the First Tamer. It swings a black sword around effortlessly. Kid barely has time to register this fact before the blade is buried in his shoulder. He screams. Free chants something uninteligable over Kid's pained cries. A bright green light flashes before the Creature appears more wolf-like than human. His claws slash through the young immortal's suit. Thin red lines are revealed on his chest as the fabric is torn away. Mosquito guffaws next to Kid's ear. Hands grab at him all over before tearing off his shirt and jacket.

Crona stands in front of the fallen man with a blush on its cheeks.

"I-I don't know how to deal with this," it whispers, "I've never seen a naked man before."

Kid sees a mouth open up near the pommel of the sword. It licks its bloody, red lips.

"You don't need to deal with it!" The sword screams, blood lust clear in its voice, "Just kill that Tamer!"

A slow, wicked and tortured grin cracks on Crona's face. A rotted giggle escapes its mouth. "Ragnorak," it sing-songs, "Screech Alpha!"

The resulting scream had kid collapsed on his side, grabbing at his splitting eardrums with shaking hands. The sword is buried in his gut; Crona wrenches it out. Kid pants hard, tries not to puke at the overwhelming odor of fresh blood. It's his blood.

The Blood Exchange on his arms activates without his consent. It rages bright red up and down the tattoos on his arms.

"Shit, Mosquito!" The Creature called Free yells, "His arms-!"

"He's down for the count now, boys," Mosquito muses, rubbing at his chin with blood-stained fingers, "Free, pick him up. We'll take him back to the Queens. Surely he knows something interesting we can watch Queen Arachne torture out of him!" He laughs.

Two rough hands grab the fallen Tamer's wrist, dragging him through the pool of his own blood and out of the Council room.

"N-!" Kid gasps, struggling weakly against the Creature holding him. It's no use. He's losing too much blood far too fast. "No!" The world around his vision is getting hazy and darkening. The last thing he sees as he's dragged out into the open, rotted airs of Hell is Mosquito's leering face, the Creature's lips moving in unimaginative insults. The last thing he hears is an ear-piercing scream that he recognizes only too easily. He prays- nothing. It all fades away.

_"No!"_


	5. Fifth Capture

**Dedicated to HackingoftheDead and CodiBleu.**

**Enjoy and Review, please!**

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Demon Tamer

A Soul Eater FanFiction

by CoriRedde

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_**The Underworld War**_

_**A Two Sided Study to the History of Hell**_

Excerpt from: The Basic Government

_Though it is unknown if Hell has ever been in a unified state, it is suspected that when the Demon King reigned, Hell was more of a feudalistic society. Now, Hell is split between two Courts. The first, the one we consider as the official government, is the Queen's Council. Ruled by thirteen Queens, the court operates much in the way of oligarchy. Two members of this Council used to be the infamous Queen Medusa and her elder sister Queen Arachne. When the Queens Council helped Lord Death return to the Earth Plane and gave him the ability to Tame Demons to help them in righting the unbalance in their worlds due to the Demon King's invasion of the Earth Plane (this, consequently, caused Night Hunt which, outside of the Queens knowledge at the time, was causing disturbance on the Earth Plane), Arachne and Medusa split from the Council and made their own bicameral Court. Together, the two created the most powerful Demon Prince known to Hell. The Council and Court of Two Queens have opposing goals: respectively, they are to end the imbalance, kill the Demon King, and separate the two worlds versus the complete invasion of Earth Plane, end of Queen's Council, and return of the Demon King._

* * *

**Demon Tamer**

**Fifth Capture**

* * *

Liz collapses to the floor in the hallway leading to the Council's room with her hands pressed to her beatless heart. She gasps for air as she watches her Tamer be dragged away. She and her sister had started toward him immediately as his end of the Blood Exchange starts their own boiling, but his one word stops them going any further. His single syllable command of 'no' had tears streaming down Elizabeth's pretty face. Laying in an undignified heap on the ground, she has the sense to wait until the three Creatures and her Tamer are out of earshot. She feels so useless.

With nothing she can do for her Tamer, she lets out a gut-wrenching scream.

_"No!" _

She cries the word over and over again, her voice becoming hoarse as she claws at the ground. Patti's arms, shaking with her own cries, fall over Liz's shoulders. The elder sister quiets in ragged murmurs of Kid's real name. She twists from her place on the ground to return Patti's embrace. They sit there an unknown amount of time, wallowing in their grief. Though the two sisters are Demons, protocol denies them access to demand their Tamer back. More importantly, as members of the Two Queens' Court, they are expected to want their Tamer dead, not to want to save him or _love _him. But they've been together for so long, for Liz and Patti, the lines have all but vanished.

"Whadda we do, sissy?" Patti whispers finally, one of her tears dropping into the crook of Elizabeth's elbow. The older of the two shakes her head, lifting her head to stroke her sister's hair. The Duchess's big blue eyes blink once, squeezing huge tears out. "K-Kid said...I mean- ugh! We can't even go after him!" She dissolves into tears again, her hands curling in the hem of her dress at mid-thigh.

"I know," Liz sighs, "but that doesn't mean-!"

"Duchesses!" Liz and Patti jump slightly, turning tear streaked faces toward a pink-haired Hell Queen zooming toward them with a Demon manipulating Hellfire beside her.

"Ki-im," Patti cries, wobbling as she rises to her feet, "You- you've got to help!" Her panic is evident in her widely oscillating voice. She reaches a hand down beside her, and feels the warm, smooth hand of her sister slide its fingers in between hers. Patti gave a small tug, helping Liz to her feet.

Kim hit the ground hard, rolling onto her shoulder and sliding on the hard ground before popping back up to her feet. In contrast, the Demon next to her lowered herself to the ground gently on her Hellfire. Her long, black tresses spun around her shoulders before settling to frame her striking face. Liz's features softened in relief at the sight of the Demon.

"Jackie," she breathes. Both the Duchess and Demon hurried forward to embrace each other. Jackie rubs her hands soothingly on Liz's back as the blonde cries into her shoulder.

"They took him, Jackie," she says, clutching her fingers into the loose fabric of Jackie's shirt, "They took Kid."

"Shh, sweetie, it's ok," the dark-haired Demon soothes, "That's why Kim is here."

Both Liz and Patti jerk up, spinning to face the Hell Queen. Kim shrugs casually, but her low, serious voice betrays her true worry. After all, Kim is the closest Hell Queen to Queen Arachne besides the woman's own sister Queen Medusa, and if she is worried, then all hope of ever feeling the rush of son of the First Tamer's Blood Exchange again may be as good as lost.

"I heard about the celebration and ran as soon as I reached Court. All of the Council is dead by the hands of our home Court. I escaped as soon as I could to try and stop Death the Kid," she explains, "I had no idea they already sent an advance party." The Hell Queen starts to walk with her hand against the wall, her fingers feeling for something. "I can't believe he managed so much damage against Free, Crona, and Mosquito." Pride bubbles up inside Liz and Patti over their Tamer, but fear quashes the pleasant sensation quickly.

Kim's continuing words are of great importance to the two Demons under Blood Exchange via Death the Kid. "They're going to try and get information from him first, so you have a little time."

"But we can't barge in there uninvited!" Liz cries, the echo in her voice resounding with sorrow. "Those are the rules of Court! Only a Demon Prince can enter as he pleases, and Soul would never-!"

"Prince Eater has been Tamed."

Liz freezes with her eyes wide. She turns stiffly to look back at her friend Jackie. The Demon girl looks troubled as she rubs her arms.

"Wh-what?" It's the only thing that Liz can get out of her stunned mouth.

"Prince Eater has been Tamed," Jackie repeats herself. She takes a few steps forward, "He came back from Night Hunt and immediately went to his quarters. I'm the only one who saw him. He forbid me to tell the Two Queens. A few hours later, he was missing again. Today, he went missing again. He hasn't come back yet. The only explanation is a Taming. Prince Eater would never be absent from his own Court or his Creators' Court for so long!"

Patti's eyebrows scrunch together as she thinks over Jacquelyn's words. Liz has it solved quickly.

"Were there any other Tamings on the Night Hunt two days passed?" She questions carefully. She squeezes her sister's hand when Patricia gives her a surprised glance. Kim looks up in a curious fashion.

"No," she answers simply, "Why?"

Elizabeth feels hope blossom in her chest. "I know who Tamed him," she says, "I know who Tamed him!"

Patti's face splits in a huge grin as she realizes Liz's reasoning. "Oh! That'd be Maka then. Am I right, sis?" Liz nods.

"If Soul's been Tamed, then we may have chance! Maka would order him to save Kid at any cost," the elder of the two Duchesses speaks in an excited whisper, "They've been friends for such a long time, she'd have to."

"So we just have to find Maka!" Patti's exclamation is met by silence as the two sisters realize Maka lives on the Earthly Plane, a place they have no access to.

Kim coughs politely from her place behind them with her hand on the wall. "Don't look so sad, Duchess Elizabeth, Duchess Patricia. I can send you back. The gate is here." At her last words, the Hell Queen shoves against the wall and the gate opens again in reverse. Patti and Liz start to move forward immediately, panic making them brash. Jackie freezes them in their tracks.

"How will they return?" The dark-haired Demon directs the question at her best friend and Hell Queen. Kim looks bored.

"If this Tamer, Maka, I believe, is strong enough to Tame Prince Soul Eater, then surely she can send him back with two members of his own Court." She holds out a hand to Liz and Patti. "Well, get going then. And hurry. You know as well as I do that Medusa is not known for patience and Arachne is known only too well for bloodlust." The two Duchesses nodded solemnly before taking their first steps back to the human world.

"Hellfire on your side!" Jackie calls out to them. The words are a charm spoken between members of the same Court to wish luck and good fortune upon the intended receiver.

Liz's voice echoes strongly as the gate closes behind her. "And yours."

* * *

The streets of Death City in daylight are the oddest phenomena Soul Eater has ever seen in all his years of invading the human world. Granted, he's only seen it during the Night Hunt which, as the name implies, takes place after the sun has set, but still, the Earthly Plane is vastly different from Hell. The buildings are tall and may house multiple businesses (Maka taught him the word after he wrongly called the local Starbucks a Court). The roads literally sparkle in the sunlight, and fire does not rage around everywhere.

There is one thing that stays exactly the same as his home world though: everyone that sees him avoids eye contact and proximity. At home it is out of respect for his title as the strongest Demon of Hell and the Prince of the Court of Two Queens. Here it is out of fear. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that, though while inside Shibusen Tamers often bring out their Demons, on the streets Demons are taboo. As a result, Maka has forced him into clothes she dug out the agency's lost and found. The gray jeans and orange t-shirt are fine looking, he supposes, but they reek of stale sweat and the first thing he's going to do them is burn them off in Hellfire as soon as the coast is clear. The barely perceptible wrinkle in Maka's nose as she leads the way lets him know that the clothing can be discarded without repercussions from the Tamer.

It does interest him, however, to see the reverence on people's faces as they take in the golden Tamer's crest on her jacket and the sincere gratitude they feel toward her work. He smirks. Although a small child across the road calls praise to Maka in slurred slang for slaying Demons, he does not realize the very person he is thanking now is half of what he fears at night.

Speaking of Maka, the Tamer has not said any words to him since her admission that they are going to her apartment. She hasn't touched him, but this part he kind-of appreciates. As much as he loves the thrill of their Blood Exchange roaring through his blood, he knows his control becomes very limited the moment Maka's own is in question. She walks in front of him, leading the way with her long jacket flapping out behind her.

When Maka finally stops walking down the main road of Death City, Nevada, she takes a quick pause to pull a key from deep within her coat. The building she has led him to is multi-colored and tall. Despite the fact that a rainbow threw up on it, Soul can smell the expense and luxury leaking off the place. This fact gives him a jealous feeling in his stomach. What if Maka's current living arrangements were better than his own lavish Court? He shook his head and looked up to find Maka already stepping into the building.

"Come on, Soul," she says blankly, careful to contain herself where anyone on the streets could see. The Demon Prince shrugs and follows his Tamer into the building. The door to the main floor shuts behind them to fully open up the quiet atmosphere of the cafe and necessities shop that makes up the first floor of Maka's apartment complex. He's shocked when Maka's fingers brush his and that connection she had worked so hard to quench on their way out of Shibusen Agency roars back to life.

"Can I get out of these yet?" He asks impatiently as Maka directs them toward the back of the main floor. The Tamer shakes her head. Soul watches the long blonde strands of her hair sway with the movement. The Blood Exchange gives his body a jolt as the silver doors they had approached slide shut, trapping the two of them in a square room. He jumps into her head, riding the connection between them to understand the idea of what they were doing in an _elevator. _Maka jabs a button on the wall.

"C'mon, Maka, please," the Demon Prince practically begs, "they reek." To emphasize his dislike, he snags his claws into the neck of the shirt and pulls. The weak fabric gives little resistance. It shreds and lays open at his shoulders.

"Soul, what are you..." He watches her eyes get real big as she turns toward him. The Blood Exchange starts buzzing again, furiously demanding something of them. Maka's hand lifts as if by puppet strings as her mouth shapes into an 'o' and her eyelids flutter. Her fingertips just barely brush his exposed skin when the elevator stops and chimes out a grating sound. The doors slide back, and just like that, Maka is moving away as if nothing happened. The Blood Exchange tells him Maka's fingers tingle from touching his skin. He's trailing after her helplessly, shedding the shirt as she walks up to one of the two doors on this floor.

"When I open this door, Soul Eater," Maka says, her voice cracking as she tries to retain her human side despite the buzzing in her blood, "I'm going to go in and you stand here for a moment. I want to try and see if we can settle _this _down." She makes a gesture from her Demon to her as she says this, meaning the Blood Exchange. Soul scoffs as she slides the key into the lock.

"Oh, Maka," he breathes, leaning down so his nose just skims her neck, "You're such a tease. Wasn't it you who touched me on the way here?" Maka's face burns a pretty red, but she growls out a warning anyway.

"Down boy," she smirks back at him over her shoulder before throwing open the door. The scent of her explodes in his face, and the dark decor reminds him of himself. Soul watches in what feels like slow motion as her left foot makes to step into the apartment; she slips the key back into her coat pocket.

Before her first step is even taken, Soul has his hands on her hips and her back pressed up against the closed door. He steps forward, closing her in against the dark wood and breathing in the half-Demon, half-human drug that she is.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Maka spits, struggling a little. Soul gives her his very best smirk before he's overwhelmed and he crashes his mouth into hers.

The Blood Exchange sings...

...and then it begins to dance.

He probably should have listened to Maka when she said they should try to calm down before trying anything else with their freaky close connection, but the way she's moaning into his mouth as tugging on his hair is enough to banish that thought. He can feel so acutely the way his body reacts to her, and it stomps on any shreds of self-control he ever possessed. He can even sense the reactions in Maka's own body as the Blood Exchange sings for them.

Soul slips his tongue out and slips it along Maka's pouty bottom lip before tilting his head again and diving deeper. His tongue scrapes along the line of Maka's teeth; he retreats just in time to escape her fangs dropping from her gums. There's a click between his own fangs and hers, but Maka pushes forward into his mouth as she draws on the Blood Exchange to put her in the position of power. Even with her back pressed up against her front door and her front lined inch for inch along Soul's, she feels him grip on her hips lessen in force and him allow her tongue to swipe along the sensitive nerves on the inside of his fangs. Soul groans hotly into her open mouth. Maka can't stop the corners of her mouth curling into a saucy smile.

The Tamer presses her hands to her Demon's chest, forcing their lips to break apart. They pant for a moment, eyes half-lidded.

"I think," Maka says in a sultry whisper, "that I know the problem in our Blood Exchange." Soul's eyes snap wide for a moment before he leans down and captures her lips again.

"_Mmm..." _Maka hums. Soul slides his tongue up Maka's jaw line before murmuring into her ear.

"Surprisingly, little Tamer_, I don't care_." He tugs on her ear lobe with his teeth. "Because this Blood Exchange gives me something I _want." _And then he attaches his lips to her neck. His hands wander down the slim curves of her sides before closing behind her ass. With a harsh squeeze, Soul has Maka jumping up. Her startlingly long legs wrap around her waist. She presses one clawed hand against his back and the other fisted in his hair. Her mouth is an open fountain of praise for the sensations he induces in her.

"_Haah..._Soul, stop tea-_mmm- hn!" _Soul drops Maka down a little bit before snapping his hips forward and pressing against her core. The Tamer gasps loudly, swiveling her own hips in retaliation. Soul groans a bit, sucking harder on the juncture of neck and shoulder. Maka gives a shrill shriek, her legs tightening around his hips and realigning them against each other. It feels _inexplicable. _

He feels Maka's fingers trailing around the ridges of muscle on his shirtless torso before slipping between their bodies to tug on his belt.

"You can burn these off now," she hisses, unable to restrain herself from rubbing her fingers against her own sex. Soul laughs, catching her wrist and pinning it to the door above her head. Flames start to lick up around them, bending to the whim of the Demon Prince. On his orders, the Hellfire reduces his clothing to ashes, but even as it surrounds their heavy make-out session (Soul's hands are now inside Maka's shirt and plucking at her nipples through the fabric of her bra), it does not harm anything else.

"Are you pleased now, my Tamer?" Soul murmurs, his fingers making quick work of the button of her jacket. Maka drops her legs from around him to shrug out of the garment. Soul watches it drop to the floor and reaches out for her again, but Maka takes a few steps away to bend over tantalizingly slow and slide the zippers down her long boots. She kicks the shoes away and turns back to see her Demon's eyes focused on her ass. She gives an experimental wriggle of her hips and drops her skirt to the floor as well. Soul groans, his nakedness even more pronounced as he stalks towards her.

"Enjoying the show?" Maka asks with a coy brush of her nails along Soul's bicep. The Tamer is then caught up in a flurry of smooth, tanned skin and deposited on her kitchen table. Soul hooks his thumbs in the waistband of her leggings and panties. He gives a frightening smirk before pushing his Tamer back by laying his chest over hers. A well timed grind of his hips against hers has Maka arching off the table. Soul swiftly tugs her leggings and underwear down her legs. As the fabrics catch at her ankles, Maka sits up to help the Demon undress her, but he presses a hand to her belly. Instead, she sits in fascination as Soul drags his teeth along her muscled legs, drops to his knees before her, and slips each foot out of the leggings.

"What are you do- _nnng!" _Soul's hands grab Maka's thighs and spread them. His tongue presses against her clit and then sucks gently. Maka's own hands fly to her Demon's head, pressing him closer to her. She feels his tongue slip down to trace out her entrance and her hips flex. "_Gnn...haah...Soul!" _Soul slips a finger along her sex before slipping between her folds and pressing a finger inside her. Maka's hips jerk towards his face; his alternating torture between tongue and fingers drive her closer and closer to the edge. The heels of her feet press into his back, her legs flexing around his head. Soul growls against Maka's core. The vibration roams up the Tamer's body. Soul then curls two fingers inside her and sucks harshly on her clit; his free hand runs slowly along the curve of her hip. Maka arches back impossibly far, her shoulders nearly on the table again as her orgasm overtakes her body.

_"Haa-oh!" _Her lips, dyed red with blood and swollen with kisses, part into a perfect little 'o' shape. Soul stands to watch her, grinding his hips against hers to prolong the intense satisfaction of watching his composed Tamer lose herself to something so sinful. When Maka finally straightens back up, she hooks her fingers underneath her own top and pulls it over her head. Her bra drops to the floor shortly thereafter. She stands slowly, her legs shaking but not yet numb.

"Come, Soul Eater," the Tamer coos, "follow me." She turns and struts down the hall. Soul stands frozen for a moment, watching the sway of her hips and the swell of her ass. He licks his lips; he's so enthralled by her he forgets about the slight pain of his tongue scraping over his long fangs. He hears a door open and lights flick on.

"Soul," Maka calls, back to him, "_Don't keep a girl waiting."_ The Blood Exchange roars in Soul's ears. Maka's last words had come out a true command, enticing the connection between them to rage even stronger. Soul licks the evidence of Maka's ecstasy from his fingers as his body stalks towards the door his Tamer had disappeared into. The command had been entirely unnecessary: Soul would've followed Maka into that room regardless.

He enters into a room painted the color of chocolate. Sitting upright on the bed is Maka, her small fingers playing with the cream-colored sheets. She pats the space next to her, and Soul is there in a flash. His tanned arms lift Maka into his lap and his lips descend on hers again. This kiss is a rush of euphoria into Soul's brain. Maka engages him in a tongue war, sucking on his tongue and pressing tiny kisses to the curve of his fangs. The little nerves there react, sending a numb sensation to Soul's brain. His erection taps against his own stomach. Maka smirks against his lips, her lithe hands traveling down his chest to wrap around his arousal. She slides her hands up and down in a slow, torturous rhythm, eliciting strangled cries from his mouth.

"Maka," he says, trying to force his voice into one of authority, "Get on your knee-_hn!" _Maka has already slipped from his lap. Her tongue slides along the slit at his mushroomed head. Who the hell is he kidding? Soul knows the one in control here is Maka: she called him, after all.

"Is that the best you can do?" Soul taunts when Maka doesn't advance much farther than licking his tip and flexing her hands around his shaft. She lifts her huge green eyes to him before winking and opening her mouth. He watches in fascination; Maka's lips close around him and she bobs down. Soul's figners twist in the sheets. Maka's tongue alternately taps and licks the underside of his erection and it feels so good. Her right hand cups his balls gently, rolling them between her fingers ever so gently while sliding her mouth up and down. Her other hand squeezes with just the right amount of pressure at his base. Soul feels coils in his belly start to tighten. he looks down to stop Maka's ministrations when he sees that Demon Princess's taunting laugh in her eyes.

_"Maka-ah..."_ The Tamer releases her Demon with a wet 'pop' that echoes in time with the pulse of their Blood Exchange. She gives him a foxy grin.

"Take me now," she murmurs, standing before him and leaning down to capture his mouth. She lifts each leg slowly, allowing her Demon to run his hand up from the crook of her knee to her ass. She makes little moans into his mouth as she settles comfortably ontop of his lap in a straddle. Maka's hands goes to Soul's shoulders and shove him to lay flat on her bed. He complies easily, and watches the half-Demon position herself over him.

"Bet your Demon girls back at Court don't do this," Maka says, her voice taking on a slight echo and raunchy murmur that sets Soul's blood burning hotter. The girl then proceeds to lower her body down on Soul's arousal. He hisses at the sensation of her rocking her hips against him. She feels just so good...so tight...so...

_"Mmm...Maka...like that..." _Maka swivels her hips, her hands pressed to his chest to give herself an anchor. Her thumbs flick at his nipples and he is surprised to find he likes it. Maka bends over and scrapes her teeth against his right pectoral, stopping to suck playfully on his nipple. Soul bucks up into her, enjoying the sensation very much. Maka screams against his skin. She bounces more frantically, her hair tossing around her head. Soul props his body up on his elbows and watches them together, driving his hips upward as she descends. Maka shouts out in appreciation. The Blood Exchange rages higher, and Maka is not surprised at all when Soul grabs her around her waist and tosses her down on the bed before climbing over her and driving in again.

"I think...I'll take..." Soul rolls his hips and slings one of Maka's legs over his broad shoulder, "control now."

"_Hnng, haah! Soul..." _It's neither a yes or a no, but the sheer incapability Maka has to produce a real sentence is confirmation enough for the Demon Prince. He sets a hard rhythm, pounding her into the mattress. Maka claws at his back, pressing kisses to his neck. She sucks on a bite mark she left their earlier, and Soul shudders. His thrusts become more erratic, but Maka still meets him beat for missed beat. The Blood Exchange is singing between them and they can read each other's emotions and feelings better than before.

Maka reaches out for Soul's tattooed arm with her own and links their fingers together. _"Connect!" _Her cry opens their senses again and then Maka can feel not only Soul inside her but herself around Soul. Each movement is felt both truly and inversely through the other person. Maka slings her other legs over Soul's other shoulder, practically sobbing at the pleasure.

_"S-haah! Close!" _

"_Hm..ng! Maka!" _Soul's hot breath at Maka's ear sends spirals of euphoria tightening all down her body. She clenches around Soul and his hiss turns into a throaty groan. Soul leans forward, tilting Maka's hips higher in the air and then the whole world freezes as the Tamer and her Demon lose control together. Maka screams as the spasms rock her eyesight and her muscles contract harshly. Soul can only watch her in her rapture for a second before succumbing himself into the ecstasy of being with her.

Maka catches his mouth with hers when his starting to pull out causes another jolt of pleasure to invade her system.

"As I was saying," Maka pants when they finally break away, "The strength of our Blood Exchange means we _have _to do something, be that fighting or sex, or else the energy is just going to..." Her voice trails off as she finds herself at a loss for words.

"_Combust,_" Soul supplies, licking up her neck. Maka stretches her arms up above her head and nods. She sits calmly with her Demon, limbs still tangled up together. She finds that this time, she really doesn't mind.

"Lord Death almost killed me because of this," she murmurs off-hand. Soul tackles his Tamer then, rolling down onto the floor of her bedroom with her.

"That bastard needs to get laid then," the Demon Prince scoffs, "because this is fucking amazing." His mouth closes around Maka's left breast. She instinctively pushes her chest towards him. His long fingers reach around to touch the tattoo on her shoulder, making his Tamer shudder at the slight mix of pleasure and pain.

"This time," he challenges her, "we're going to make these wings glow."


	6. Sixth Revelation

**Dedicated to Hackingofthedead and CodiBleu.**

**Enjoy and Review, please!**

* * *

Demon Tamer

A Soul Eater FanFiction

by CoriRedde

* * *

_**Demon Taming for Dummies**_

Excerpt from: Chapter 9

_Demons, besides belonging to either the Witches Council or the Two Queens' Court, tend to organize themselves in a sort of continuing hierarchy based on their friendships and power. As far as we know, Demon Princes often form Contracts with Demons of considerable power that they want on their side. The idea is very similar to a Taming in that the Contract gives the Demon Prince or Princess the ability to control and demand loyalty of the Demon under them. The Demons who hold a Contract with the Prince of their Court are referred to as Dukes or Duchesses. Dukes can hold Contracts with Demons lower than themselves that are also members of the Court, but they are not given a title that we know of. Princes and Princesses will have all types of Demons swear loyalty to them, but only those in Contract are the ones bound to the Demon Royalty by their very lives...It is unknown if a Contract can be broken in any way besides death...Because mid-level Demons are often the ones in Contract with a Demon Prince, making a Blood Exchange with them is very respectable. For Demons, Taming is a very undesirable idea. In an effort to dampen the power of Blood Exchange, Contracts work as a sort of rival. If the Demon Prince holds a stronger Contract than the Tamer's Blood Exchange, then the Demon under both must obey the stronger Contract first. In opposition, if a Blood Exchange is a deeper connection than the Contract, then the Blood Exchange must be obeyed first. The strength is determined by the Demon Prince or the Tamer, not the loyalty or wishes of the Demon...There is no visible mark to signify a Contract._

* * *

**Demon Tamer **

**Sixth Revelation**

* * *

Maka's hand press against Soul's pectorals as she rolls her hips again and again. Over her shoulder, the faint glow of her own tattoos is visible in the dim light of her room. Soul holds her hips, bucking up to meet each of her slow descents. Both of them release long, drawn out moans.

"_Haah," _Maka breathes, flicking her fingers over Soul's nipples. He jerks roughly at this, sliding along her g-spot. Maka screams harshly, her voice a sweet sound to the Demon Prince. "_Soul!" _He releases her hips to prop himself up. He lets her drop back down, groaning lowly in his throat as her hands slide to his shoulder and she rolls sensually against him, before he attacks her breasts with tongue and teeth. It may be a side effect of being half-Demon, but Maka Albarn knows how to give and take as good as he does. It's borderline sadomasochism, but for Demons it's just the way of life.

He bites on her left nipple.

Maka's back arches, allowing her to sink even further down on him and shoving her chest closer to his torturous mouth. She can feel her Demon's smirk against her skin and she revels in it. The closer their intentions become, the more dizzyingly clear their connection is. The Blood Exchange is belting out high notes at an impressive pace that Maka counters with her own slow grind. Soul can feel his arm starting to burn as his fingers seek out his Tamer's again.

"Come on, little Tamer," he growls against the skin of her throat, his free hand slipping around to grope at her ass (which he admits is the finest he's seen in years), "Scream my name." He slides his hand down to rub against her clitoris. Maka dutifully obliges.

_"Soul!"_

_"_Oh..._Maka,_" he groans back, his voice practically hoarse. Maka picks up her pace, tears leaking from her eyes at the intense pleasure. Soul shouts his approval, one hand on the back of her neck and the other propping up his own body so he can drive into her with each roll of her hips.

"Come for me, Soul," she demands, sliding her hands into his hair and tipping his head back. Her extended claws scrape against the sensitive skin of his neck. She kisses him hard, her tongue plunging into his mouth to draw out his own. He follows her into her own mouth and is reduced to a groaning mess when she sucks on his tongue.

_"Haah! Maka!" _This time, it's he who reaches release first, but the vibrations and pleasure in his body send trigger signals to his Tamer through the Blood Exchange, setting her off too. She collapses on top of him, dragging her tongue up his chest before claiming his lips again in a short but not-at-all innocent kiss.

"That was delicious," she breathes, her fingers tracing the lines of his Tattoos on his arm. Her half-lidded eyes are radiant, the vibrant green calling to him again. He's about to reach out to pull her to him _again, _when the pounding of desperate feet sounds just outside Maka's apartment door.

"Is it this one, sissy?" A high, child-like voice asks. There's a shiver in the speaker's tone that suggests tears. Maka is off the bed and tugging on clothes in an instant. Soul follows her, dragging the ripped, red pants he so adored back onto his body. As he's doing the belt, he feels a twinge in his chest. Maka jerks up, having felt the resounding pain in the resonance of their Blood Exchange.

"Soul?" She asks, schooling her face back into a blank slate, "What is it?"

"Two of my Contracts," he answers, confusion in his tone. Then two fists bang on the apartment's front door.

"Maka Albarn?" An echoing voice calls out frantically, "Are you there? Maka?" Maka gives Soul a look before she dashes out the door, heading to the front. Soul sees her claws still dropped from her nail beds. As she reaches to yank open the door, Soul catches her wrist.

"It's Elizabeth and Patricia Thompson," he observes, "members of my Court." He tells her this to let her know that it's safe. That she can hide her claws and identity.

"They're Death the Kid's Demons," Maka returns, unfazed by his admission. "If they need me, it's about Kid. I have to help." Soul, due to both his trust of the two Demon Duchesses outside and his requirement to follow Maka's orders, steps back and allows his Tamer to open the door.

Two blonde Demons in ruined red dresses with tear stained eyes stand there with hands intertwined. Maka gives a curt nod toward the couch in her living room, inviting the two in. They barely make it over the threshold before seeing Soul. They throw themselves at his feet.

"My Prince!"

Soul allows his hands to be grabbed, faced pressed to the backs of his hand. He can feel the Thompson sisters' tears dripping down his finger tips. In all his time knowing the Thompsons (and that's been centuries), the two have been proud Demons. They are two of the very short list of Demons to have stayed in the human world past Night Hunt's end to continue to seek out thrills. When he made them members of his court (a mere two centuries ago), they immediately became the two he goes to for dirty jobs. They are fearless warriors and irreplaceable members of his Court. That being said, never have they ever cried in front of him, let alone to him. His shocks holds him still as they stay on their knees before him.

Maka nudges him over the Blood Exchange, urging him to say something.

Soul sweeps his tail around, the lashing drawing his Duchesses' attention. They notice the frown he had forced onto his face by mirroring Maka's serious lack of emotion and release his hands.

"What brings you here?" He demands, crossing his arms over his broad chest, "What members of my Court beg at my feet?" Both Patti and Liz wear expressions of shock, their tears seemingly evaporating off their cheeks as Hellfire begins to flare around their Prince. "Answer me."

It's Patti who speaks first, but not the younger sister who answers. "Sissy," she says, entwining their fingers together, "Please." Elizabeth, the older and therefore the more powerful member of the Court (Demons are proud, old-fashioned beings) sighs before turning her strikingly clear blue eyes on her Prince.

"It is our Tamer," she starts, her grip on her sister's fingers tightening exponentially, "He has been captured."

Soul's face cracks into a smirk. "Shouldn't you be celebrating?" He leers at them, lacing his fingers behind his head. But the Contract between them screams of fear and love much to frighteningly similar to the Blood Exchange between Soul and Maka for the Prince to put any real venom behind his words. Unfortunately, the Duchesses are so frantic that the subtle differences between the Prince's harsh biting words and his formalities are lost on them.

"The Two Queens have him!" Liz screams, "They'll torture him for information and then kill him! You know they will!" Hellfire begins to swirl around her own hands. She pushes herself up to stand before her Prince; Patti's hands are on her shoulders, offering support.

"So what?" Soul asks, dropping his voice in volume, "Hell's atmosphere will kill him anyway and Tamer's work on a need-to-know basis. This is established." He feels Maka's almost shock at such specific information. He sends her a message in return, smirking slightly. _Shibusen isn't as closely locked as you'd like to believe, sweetheart._

"Our Tamer is _his _son, Soul!" Liz shouts, her voice ragged with anger. "You know this!"

"Ah," Soul shrugs, "Let them get information from him then. Let that Hell's reject suffer." His murderous intent toward Lord Death has nearly doubled since the last time he saw him. Maka's near termination only made his hate for the immortal grow.

"No!" Liz and Patti both shout, the Hellfire roaring around them now.

"Go to the Court of the Two Queens, Soul, please!" Patti begs, her lower lip trembling.

"Are you insane?" Soul bellows, his authority suffocating over the Contracts between the three Demons, "If I go back to Court, they'll know I've been Tamed!" He waves his hand, forcing the Hellfire to clear from inside Maka's apartment. He likes this place. "They'll kill me too. Queen Medusa and Queen Arachne, no matter how much they love my power, will not hesitate to kill me just to kill the Tamer powerful enough to control me." Maka's eyes widen.

"Soul Eater," she interjects, "I sent you back not so long ago, yet you came back just fine."

"I didn't go to the Court," Soul confesses, "I stayed within my own Court. My death is your death, Princess." Maka blinks. For all his dangerous aura, the Demon Prince seems to be displaying care towards her well-being. There's a jolt in her system along the Blood Exchange. He stares back at his Tamer, refusing his Duchesses' request. As close and fair as he may keep his Court, it's all for naught if he loses his life and power.

Liz is impatient, though, and screams as him again. "You're the only one who can enter the Court without invitation, Prince!" Her tears are hot and furious. "I know you hate the Two Queens as much as everyone else-!"

"Give me a reason."

The Demon Prince's sudden interruption freezes both Liz and Patti. They blink in surprise.

"Huh?" Patti says, her hand on her elder sister's elbow.

"A reason," Soul asks again, "Give me a good reason to risk the life of my Tamer." The way he words it is a shock to all occupants of the room. Prince Soul Eater is notoriously selfish within the Court. Liz opens her mouth, then pauses. She knows the exact reason and truth that her Prince wants to hear, but whether or not she can say it...

"_I love him!" _

The words escape her before she can truly think it through, such is her desperation. She pants after shouting that, wrapping her sister in her arms. The younger Thompson turns agreeing, determined blue eyes on her Prince, echoing her sister's sentiments. After nearly a century of being Tamed by Death the Kid, the growth of such feeling is inevitable, Maka realizes, thinking on her own fast moving, undeniable, physical attraction to the strongest Demon in Hell. The sympathy she feels with the Demon sisters and the love she herself has for the son of First Tamer for knowing him all her life compels her to make a life-threatening decision.

"Soul," Maka says, her voice even and controlled again, "Kid is practically family to me." She says nothing else, but the Demon Prince can hear the request, command, and fear despite her emotionless tone. Maybe it's the long hours they just spent indulging in the horizontal tango, but he understand exactly what she means. _Go. Save him. Please. For your Court's sake. For my sake. Please. Do it. _And Soul knows his heart has agreed to go the moment she started saying his name. He faces his Tamer with determination in his eyes. She returns the expression. Soul is amazed by how sexy it is.

"I'll save him then," Soul agrees, dropping his hands onto his Duchesses' shoulders. They grasp onto his wrists, smiling through their worried tears. "I promise." He orders them to stay on the human plane with his own Tamer and calm down.

Soul lifts his Duchesses' wrists to his mouth and slid his fangs along the skin there. The two Demon sisters watch their blood trickle down.

"What?" Patti laughs in relief and asks at the same time. "Just use your own blood, Prince Soul!"

Maka steps forward then, calmly gesturing the Patti and Liz to leave the area. "No, this is what I ordered. This way, I can open the gate near Death the Kid's location without having to send you into Hell." The last part is directed at her own Demon. Soul gives her a grunt in acknowledgement.

"_Open, Gates of Hell!" _Maka chants, dripping some of her own blood (and, consequently, Soul's) onto the floor, "_Leave, Prince Soul Eater." _And the gate burst forth, opening and swallowing Soul easily. As he sinks into the depths, returning to his home world, he turns to look at Maka with burning eyes. He says nothing to her, but she can feel the slight swirling sensation on her arm as their tattoos calm with the growing distance between them. Over the lasting connection before Soul's shocking white hair is consumed by the gate and the Hellfire gone, Maka sends one last plea of gratitude for his actions towards saving Death the Kid. It's not until after he's been gone for what feels like hours and she's consoling (rather poorly) the two Demons bound to her friend that she notices something is not right with her own Blood Exchange.

The wing on her left shoulder begins to _burn._

* * *

Something slimy slithers along the back of his neck, waking Death the Kid unpleasantly once again to find himself chained in a pool of his own blood. When he lifts his heavy, drooping eyes, it's to face the horridly grinning face of one of the two most powerful Hell Queens in existence. Medusa's hand on his shoulder is clenched in a tight grip that has her nails sinking into the bruised flesh there. The snake Creature she is so fond of slithers from his neck to her arm, wrapping itself around the appendage. The woman's blonde hair trails along his cheek as she leans forward with wicked eyes to whisper in his ear.

"Better be careful, Death the Kid," she warns, manic laughter rising from the Creatures and Demons surrounding the large Court room of the Two Queens, "You've nearly died five times now. Maybe we've already drained all that immortal out of you, hmm?" The Creatures who had dragged Kid to the Court roar with raucous laughter. The son of the First Tamer doesn't even has the energy to glare at them. His wrists ache from being pulled away from his body in chains. His knees are on the floor, bruising on the slick surface, and his bared skin is whipped and beaten. He's almost as shocked as Medusa is that he's still among the living.

"What would you like to know, sister dear?" Medusa calls back towards the two ornate thrones in the Court. A woman of similar stature to Medusa with dark hair and hypnotic purple eyes smiles slyly.

"Oh, so many things to ask," she says, her words sending shivers running up and down Kid's spine. "Ask him about his demons. Who did he Tame?" Kid ducks his head, refusing to answer. Medusa's smirk turns to a cruel frown in an instant. She slaps him; her nails scratch his skin. The inside of Death the Kid's cheek splits with the harsh scraping against his teeth. He grunts from the pain, but refuses to even cry out.

"Answer her, wretch," Medusa croons, "Go on." Kid remains silent, even when the Hell Queen makes an order for him to lashed thrice more. He hears the hiss of the whip being raised, the barbed end dragging along the ground. He closes his eyes and grits his teeth, preparing himself for the pain that never comes.

The doors to the Court slam open.

A power of immense presence enters, freezing all the rooms' occupants in their tracks.

Medusa and Arachne, as can be expected, recover first. The blonde Hell Queen makes to way toward the doors, leaving kid to swivel his head as best he can to see the newcomer. The only thing that makes its way into his peripheral vision is a long, black tail that _drags_ across the ground with each flick. Death the Kid's mind runs crazy. He had no idea a Demon that strong existed. His father's Demons are ridiculously strong, but even their tails when relaxed aren't that long.

"Welcome home," Medusa cries in a falsely maternal voice. She opens her arms to embrace the new Demon in the Court, "My dear, dear Prince Soul Eater." Even Arachne stands from her throne to come forward and embrace the Demon.

"It's been such a long time since you've come here, my Prince Soul Eater."

_Soul Eater! _The frantic thought in his own head is echoed by all the other Demons and Creatures in the room in what feels to Kid to be a war cry. He can sense the Demon's power and the reverence with which the members of the Two Queens' Court hold him. The answering voice echoes wildly and is so very low.

"My Queens," the Prince greets dutifully, dropping to one knee before them. The two sisters wave their hands in a dismissive gesture, allowing Soul Eater to rise. The Hell Queens walk to their thrones. Kid allows himself a small sigh of relief now that, at least for the moment, his torture is over.

"What brings you back, my Prince?" Arachne asks in her low, silken voice. "Heard of our catch, did you?" She waves one long-nailed hand toward the chained son of the First Tamer.

"I did," Soul answers. There is a smirk in his voice, but Kid hears a fearful ring to it that the Queens miss. It is then he realizes that there is something of an act going on between the Prince and the Queens. "Quite impressive, I must say. How did you find him?" Soul Eater nears the captured man, his dress shoes tapping authoritatively against the floor. He squats in front of Death the Kid, leering into tired, gold eyes. However, a spark of defiance is still there, and that makes Soul smile. As long as the son of First Tamer is still fighting, he has a chance.

"After Mosquito and Crona, oh, and Free, killed the Queens' Court, they went back to make sure their work was complete," Arachne explains, holding out a hand toward the three Creatures feared throughout Hell. "When they were there, lo and behold a little god of Death was there for the taking. A true blessing." Her last words are mocking.

"I'm impressed," the Demon Prince says, reaching out a hand to grip the son of the First Tamer's chin. He lifts the man's head, trying to convey a message through his facial expressions. The fluttering of the man's eyelids gives him little hope that he had read anything in his red eyes. "Did you get anything out of him?"

Medusa sighs dramatically, "No, he's quite tight lipped. No fun, really."

Soul Eater stuffs his hands in his pantsuit pockets, grinning. "Well, might as well let him go then, my Queens," he says, shifting to casually adjust his tie, "It's not like he's learned anything new about us. Except maybe my name, of course. I can live with that." He turns toward the captive. "I'm pretty famous around these parts, did you know?" He keeps his tone condescending and rude, but Kid has him figured out. The Prince is trying to _save _him, but _why? _He hasn't got a clue.

Medusa seems to find her Demon's words odd. As Death the Kid thinks about it, he realizes that, as Demon Prince, Soul Eater is probably a bloodthirsty piece of work who would've normally asked for the honor of killing a captive such as himself.

"What are you talking about, Prince?" she sneers, "We can't just let him go, as you say."

Soul shrugs. "I don't see why not. He's useless."

"Then kill him."

The room seems to freeze as Arachne's order rings out. Medusa rises from her throne and approaches Soul Eater, walking in circles around him. For once, the cheering in the room has stopped.

"You're dressed awfully nice, my Prince," the blonde Hell Queen murmurs, "I do insist you dress down for this occasion. You wouldn't want to get blood on your nice clothes, now. Would you?" She gestures to him. Soul stiffens imperceptibly, then shakes his head like it's not a big deal.

"Anything you wish, my Queen." Hellfire rages around the Demon Prince for a moment before clearing to show him in torn red jeans, dirty black and yellow sneakers, and shirtless. Medusa is standing at his front. The Prince's back is to Kid, and that's when the son of the First Tamer sees it. Maka's wing. It's printed boldly on the Demon's right shoulder.

So his Demons must have gone for help...and this is what they found.

"What is that, my Prince?" Arachne calls out, lazily pointing a finger at Soul's back. Kid flinches. Everything is falling to pieces now. The chaffing of the handcuffs on his wrists is starting to burn more painfully as he loses the small amount of hope he had built up.

Medusa finishes her circle of her Demon Prince's body, stopping to stare at the mark on him.

"Yes, Soul Eater," she agrees, "What is that?" She presses a long-nailed hand to the beautiful wing. Soul flinches and whirls, snarling at her.

"Are you being protective, my rogue Demon?" The blonde Hell Queen teases, even as she lifts her arm to order something of the other occupants in the room. Confused and angry murmurs are rising from the crowd now. Soul's tail thrashes.

"So," Arachne interrupts, standing. Her voice is low and dangerous now. "You've been Tamed."

"And this tattoo can only mean one thing," Medusa picks up, "Your Tamer is that half-Demon brat of Spirit's. Am I right?"

_Maka, _Death the Kid thinks of his friend, praying she'll be ok. The twisting in his stomach is that fear that the Two Queens will kill this Demon now just so that the girl dies. However, the dangerous flashing in the red eyes of the Demon is a testament to how he is prepared to fight for his Tamer. The Two Queens merely laugh. Kid feels no relief.

"Alright then," Medusa says, "I'll make you a deal. Call your Tamer down to Hell, _to us, _and I'll send Death the Kid back in her place. That way you can live. Doesn't that sound wonderful?"

The Demon Prince then loses his composure. The act shatters around him, leaving a snarling Demon wit his fangs flashing and his claws out. "You. Will. Not. Touch. Her."

Both Medusa and Arachne gasp in shock.

"Fine then," Arachne murmurs, "You will die just to kill the Tamer strong enough to Tame someone as magnificently strong as you. And he will die too." She nods her head toward Death the Kid.

"My Court," Medusa calls out, "Kill the Prince." there's a moment of hesitation on the part of the Demons and Creatures present. They murmur to each other, unsure of the order. Soul Eater has been one of the reasons the Court is so powerful. For the Queens to want him dead...it's a reality that shakes their very cores.

Medusa's eye twitches. _"Now!" _She screams. And then, the Demons and Creatures move to attack the Prince.

Soul calls on Hellfire, the substance raising up and burning those in the room not strong enough to resist the potent power he possesses.

They attack him as one, but with his fangs glinting, Soul Eater takes and gives as good as he gets. A punch to his shoulder from a mid-level is a Creatures death...and so forth. He spins on his right heel, his left foot digging into a low-level's face and snapping the odd protrusion on its face clean off. Soul laughs, dancing with the echo. He ducks underneath a high sweep from a low-level's long-clawed fingers. His own claws tear through the Demon's belly. The low-level's attack, intended for him, hits another low-level. Soul jumps into the air, Hellfire following him faithfully. He lands on a Creature's shoulders and twists its head. He chucks the decapitated head at a low-level and kicks the body back toward the thrones. The message is clear to the Queens: fuck off. He then opens his mouth and punches sideways. The claw-adorned hits tear clean through two fighters. Soul's fangs catch some of the sprayed blood. He licks it up with a wicked glint. He's in his element even as the odds turn against him. It's a Demon's nature to fight.

Death the Kid stares in horror. The savagery...it's strangely beautiful.

He may be a brilliant fighter and a powerful Demon, but as the numbers around him keep growing at the Queens' angry orders, he needs specialists in underdog fighting. He needs the two members of his Court who can take out groups at a time with their teamwork. He needs...

"Elizabeth!" he calls, "Patricia!" But then he realizes, even as he punches hole in the chest of an attacker, that only while he had been in their presence, his Contract with the Thompson sisters had held stronger over their Blood Exchanges with Death the Kid. With the same distance between him and them as their Tamer and them, the stronger Blood Exchange is winning out over his Contract.

"Death the Kid," he cries out in desperation, "Release your Demons from the Blood Exchange, just for a short time so I can call them down!" He tears through another Demon of his Queens' Court, turning to face the captive son of the First Tamer. Kid gives him a hard, gold stare.

"No," he responds, "I refuse to put them in any more harm."

Soul growls loudly in frustration. He leaps past an attacker with a flying kick. His long tail wraps around the low-level Demon's neck and decapitates it at the same time as Soul's dirty, sneaker-clad foot crushes another Demon's sternum and heart. Each step he makes it calculated and deadly, Kid notices in slight awe. He keeps his eyes narrow in anger that this Prince would ever think of putting members of his own Court in such a dangerous situation.

Soul's next words counter that thought. "Those two are the best in overwhelming situations. You've fought with them! You must know that!" He sticks his clawed hands down a roaring Creature's throat and tears out its spine.

"I worked too hard to build the trust between my Demons and I," Death the Kid starts, forcing himself not to flinch when Soul tosses the spine of the Creature at him in extreme irritation, "for you to casually overtake it with your Contract!"

The Hellfire flares wildly. "I'm trying to _save _you, damn it!" Soul thunders, cracking two skulls together. he watches the two low-levels sink to the floor in puddles of their own blood with a sadistic grin. "So listen to me! I _need _them!" Kid gives Soul silence in answer, defying him the chance to gain control of the Demons he calls his. Elizabeth and Patricia are precious to the son of the First Tamer. Before them, he had no name for himself. He had no one to call him by his birth name since the title had disappeared for both his father and himself after the death of his mother. Though the Demon Prince is trying valiantly to free him from captivity at the hands of the Two Queens, Death the Kid cannot bring himself to put enough faith in his to loosen his Blood Exchanges. On the off chance that the Contract gets too strong, he could lose his Demons (and therefore his life) in the process of being saved. It's a risk he's not willing to take.

Soul whirls, his fist flying toward some unsuspecting mid-level Demon's face.

He's stopped by a long-nailed grip on his fist.

"Seems you've have your fun, my dear Soul Eater," Queen Medusa smirks lowly, "but I can't allow you to destroy my entire Court." Soul glares at her. She's a coward; she only comes out to stop him after she knows he exhausted from fighting the rest of the Court. At least he managed to cause some real destruction around here. His moment ends when Medusa's face turns cruel toward him.

She hooks a foot around his ankle and pulls. The Demon Prince wobbles, off balance. He tries to catch himself, but Medusa's free fist meets his face. She releases his fist. Soul spins from the impact. The Queen doesn't even give him a chance to fight back. Soul leaps back for her, claws extended. Medusa reverses her momentum and snaps her elbow across his jaw. The Demon Prince's head snaps sideways. A knee to his gut has him spitting up blood. He gets his hands on the ground, intending to kick himself over and land his own hit. Instead, Medusa lifts a foot and digs it into the small of his back. Soul hits the ground face first. He pushes himself back to his hands and knees, but Medusa grabs his wrist and yanks him up. His stomach is in range for a heavy kick.

Soul manages a second's glance at the Queen Arachne. Her hand is extended, holding back the last of the surviving members present at Court. He smirks at his accomplishment even as Medusa lands a solid kick to his gut. The Demon Prince collapses on the ground. Blistering, paralyzing pain shoots up his spine.

"What can you do now, Soul Eater?" The blonde Hell Queen mocks, "Hmm?" She holds in her right fist his tail. Her grip is tight and unyielding, and Soul can feel his body seizing up now that the most sensitive part of his body is being stressed. Panic flares in him. He hasn't felt this feeling too many times in his life, a mere three or four occasions. The first two were training periods, when Medusa and Arachne both demonstrated the power a Tamer's grip on a Demon's tail could hold. The third was...

_Maka._

Soul feels his arm begin to tingle with the awakening Blood Exchange at his thought of his Tamer. His chest tightens. Blood Exchange cannot be activated by the Demon; it can only be accessed by the Tamer. He knows there's no way Maka is in danger, both Liz and Patti of his Court are with her in her home. There's no explanation...

_"Double Blood Exchange."_

He hears Maka's voice in his ear in the whispery form of a memory. He remembers holding onto her so intimately as they run their fingers over the wings on each other's shoulders. At the thought of it, the wing, Maka's wing, on his right shoulder begins to throb and glow. The glow brightens, catching Medusa's attention. She places a foot on his ribcage to roll him towards her. Her wicked smile is enough to confirm she has inadvertently caused what she wanted all along: Maka Albarn at her Court for the slaughter. He can't believe it: Soul Eater is acting the part of a Tamer? Then reality hits him.

He's just called Maka to her death.

"No!" He screams out. The tattoo on his shoulder bursts. Everything, even Medusa, around him is thrown away in a clear radius of _blue _Hellfire. There's a heavy thud next to him and energy begins to course wildly through his veins again. His left hand is secured in a tight grip. Soul rises quickly to his feet, snarling at any member of the Two Queens' Court who tries to take a step toward him. There's a tug at his left. He turns toward it.

Red eyes meet green. His truly demonic smirk splits his face. The blue Hellfire rages protectively.

"Welcome to Hell, little Tamer."


	7. Seventh Fight

**Dedicated to Hackingofthedead and CodiBleu.**

**This took a lot longer than I thought it would. I've been doing so well with this story...one update every month...however, I think I make up for the lateness in length. Demon Tamer chapters clock in at an average of ten point ridiculous decimal pages per chapter. This chapter is taking the charts by storm at twice that much. (and no, author's notes do not count). I do have some valid excuses as to why this took a grand total of forever to post which are as follows: 1. Spring Break. CodiBleu and I went on an awesome cruise with our families...and I got no writing done during it. 2. I student directed a musical and that took up so much time. A week out of it, and I swamped myself with audition after audition for summer shows (and turned down all roles I was offered.) 3. I have been job hunting like a fiend. I am a soon-to-be-broke college student. 4. Prom, graduation, baccalaureate, and all that jazz are frighteningly time consuming. And to add onto that, there's this thing called life that keeps getting in the way. **

**Anyway, I know you will love this chapter. I loved writing it. (Don't I say that about every chapter?) I have a sort of pattern to each chapter of Demon Tamer. Every chapter is broken into two sections which may or may not follow directly after the other. Also, every chapter has one of the following: a fight or a lemon. This chapter has both, so there is only one word to describe it: EPIC. There are a few moments in this chapter that may be a bit slow...but I'm just trying to give information about life in the Hell Courts. I tried to make it interesting...so please let me know if anything is BORING. I MUST fix it if that's the case. I even have a question for my readers (who are the bestest!):**

**Is there anything (terms? phrases? etc.) that have been used in the Demon Tamer universe that I have not made clear? (Most of the DT AU things are capitalized). **

**I ask this b/c I plan to do another glossary soon (plus timeline) just to keep everyone in the same boat. So, as usual, please review (227? OMG THANK YOU!) and most importantly, enjoy!**

**P.S. I think Thunder and Fire are one boy and one girl twins...but for this story, they're both boys. :)**

* * *

Demon Tamer

A Soul Eater FanFiction

by CoriRedde

* * *

_**True Demon Combat**_

_**The Art of Twin Snake**_

Excerpt From: Unit One, The Basics

_There are many styles of Demon and Tamer fighting, but the least common form today is the once traditional form of Demon and Tamer combat. It is called Twin Snake or Dual Attack. Developed in Ancient China by Shaolin Monks, the style was originally created to blend two radically different styles of combat together. Later, it was realized that Twin Snake could effectively allow both Tamer and Demon to fight together. Recently, Tamer fighting has become less common, the human ordering the Demon to do the dirty work. For those with a true Taming spirit, fighting with the Demon is essential to claiming victory...This book will cover the art of Twin Snake with easy-to-understand graphics and step by step instructions. Meditation and techniques to further the relationship between Tamer and Demon will also be discussed...To truly be a Tamer and Demon pair, Twin Snake is the most essential of all knowledge._

_Editor's Note to Readers: This book is extremely biased. Though very useful for its exceedingly accurate information on Dual Attack, we urge readers to not take to heart the bashing of modern Tamer and Demon combat styles._

* * *

**Demon Tamer**

**Seventh Fight**

* * *

Maka stares at Soul in incredulity.

"What did you just say to me?" The Demon smirks, showing his fangs. Despite his cool demeanor and apparent indifference, he's unbelievably amazed at how his Tamer can still display such coldness even in the fiery pits of Hell. To top it off, he's certain Maka knows that too. The girl is deceptively brilliant. He watches her reach a hand out and touch the blue Hellfire raging around them. In this short moment before he knows they'll have to fight their way out of his creators' Court, he allows himself to admire the blue glow cast over her face. She looks like an angel of death in her black coat and boots. She's surprisingly calm, running her fingers through the fire over and over again. Soul can feel the warmth of it tingling in his own fingertips with each pass Maka makes through the blue flames. The sensation is pleasant, reminding Soul of each teasing nip or kiss his Tamer pressed to his skin mere hours ago. His distraction sends the Blood Exchange reeling, straining to connect them. Maka can feel the strain in her own body, and she carefully masks the effect it has on her. After all, the two of them are trapped in the middle of enemy territory, protected by only a wall of blue Hellfire.

How can he even _want _her in this situation?

Maka's eyebrows draw together, and Soul waits for her reprimand, but a low-level leaps, screaming, from behind the wall of fire. Maka raises an arm to block the Demon's attack, her stance widening automatically. Her eyes narrow, her lips drawn back in a snarl. The low-level screeches in delight, drool dripping from its mouth at the sight of the (partly) human girl. The most extraordinary thing happens in sync with Maka's block.

The blue Hellfire rages upward. Maka clenches her fist. The ashes of the low-level Demon fall at her feet.

Soul stares. Maka stares. The Court around them stares. The Two Queens burst into laughter. It's a truly sinister sound, one sister echoing the other in a dynamic that sends chills down Maka's spine. She steals herself. She can feel Soul's presence next to her even if he is a good seven feet away; she has no reason to be afraid. He whispers quickly and lowly to her, telling her that Hellfire responds to any Demon and Hell Queens. Maka shoots him a glance, silently asking why the fire is still protecting the pair instead of attacking. Soul's fangs show just the slightest bit. The glint in his eyes is sadistically gleeful as he answers her.

"Maka," he says, voice hushed and low. He knows she can hear him and feel his words through the Blood Exchange trying to twist them into a frenzy. "If it's still here, protecting us, then that means they _can't _control it." Maka's face shows surprise for half of a second before she wipes her expression clean and blank. Soul takes the quick second to question her.

"Where's Liz and Patti's Tamer?" Maka slides a little closer to him, preparing to fight. She keeps her face calm as she hurriedly whispers back.

"Safe. The gate you opened gave me enough time to exchange myself for him." Soul glances up, but the gate is not longer there. He glances back at his Tamer. Her ability to control her emotions escaping via her expressions is extremely handy in battle situations, and _this _is a battle situation if the Tamer has ever seen one. The last thing the Demon and Tamer pair need is for either of the Hell Queens to discover just how deep their Blood Exchange really goes.

The moment of relief and feeling of security is scattered between them then by the horrid laughter of the Hell Queens.

"What an _interesting _development," the blonde of the Two Queens leers, "Wouldn't you say so Arachne?" The dark-haired one fans herself. Her purple eyes focus on Maka, raking over the Tamer's form. Maka stiffens, glaring back with just as much force but keeping a mask of indifference set firmly on her lips. She takes a step forward, informing the Queen that she is not to be taken lightly. The blue Hellfire reacts to every movement Maka makes. It reaches just slightly for Medusa. The Hell Queen ignores it easily.

"Oh, Medusa, no power in Hell could stop you from your sciences," Arachne agrees, her eyes focused on Maka and the flickering blue Hellfire. "I think we may have to call forth the Creatures of the Court." Medusa steps slightly to the side, allowing her sister to join her in facing their rogue Prince and his Tamer. Maka watches their eyes and fingertips for signs of oncoming attacks. Her heart rate speeds considerably at having snake-eyed pupils and spider web irises attempting to drown her. There's a jolt over the Blood Exchange.

She snaps her head to Soul. He doesn't look back at her, but his nod is all the reassurance she needs. His lips split into a fang-displaying smirk. The blue Hellfire starts to rage wildly. Blistering pain seeps into Maka's skin each time her Demon allows more of himself to show. His fangs, for example, make her jaw ache. She opens her own mouth slightly and lets her own fangs drop from her gums. Soul's approval echoes across their blood and the song it's beginning to sing. He allows the fire to swirl around him, clawed fingers trailing through it. Maka shows her own claws.

The Hell Queens in front of them raise their hands. Out of the darkness dwelling around their thrones and the corners of the court and the shadows cast by the blue Hellfire, Creatures with yellow and purple eyes rise. They take the form of snakes and spiders, but the screams they emit are more akin to the moon's during Night Hunt. The power rising from each Creature is enough to set Maka's senses on high alert, and there are hundreds of them. She grits her teeth.

"Are you alright, darling, half-Tamer girl?" Medusa sooths mockingly. "You look frightened."

Arachne hums in agreement with her sister. "Indeed, she does look a bit pale. Are you sure this Tamer is worth anything, my dearest Prince?" Soul doesn't respond; he's too occupied with sending strength to Maka via the Blood Exchange. She gasps quietly with each pulse.

"Have you nothing to say in defense, Maka Albarn?" Medusa asks, her sneer hideous. The Demons of the Court and the Creatures all laugh horridly, leering at the halfling Tamer. She lifts her gaze slowly to match Medusa's eyes.

"I have to wonder how strong you really are, Two Queens," she says slowly, her voice lacking inflection, "Because it seems to me you're trying to mask your fear of our strength by pointing out my own." Medusa's eyes narrowed, her hatred palpable in the tense air between them.

"You are sharp-tongued, girl," Medusa spits. Soul watches in disbelief as his Queen is actually unbalanced. Arachne next to her has her hands flexed, ready to send her Creatures to attack. He feels his Tamer next to him and is shocked as the tension seems to flow out of her body. All her inhibitions fade away, and it's then that Soul has to look back at her.

She's snarling openly. Where Maka has always hides her emotions, here it seems she has given up on the endeavor. She looks more Demon than he's ever seen her, and it triggers a memory in him. When Soul first mocked his Tamer, she had told him she didn't want to Tame a Demon and let more Demon blood into her system. In Hell, she has no choice but to accept her Demon side if she wants to survive. The battle ready stance she's adopted states quite clearly that she does.

If Soul has anything to say about it, she _will. _

"Come, Two Queens," Maka taunts. Both she and her Demon are unsure if she says this out of adrenaline or actual confidence. "Let us finish destroying your Court!"

The half-Demon girl leaps forward, blue Hellfire on her heels. Medusa throws her arms forward. The Creatures attack. They are burned instantly by the flames. Maka's claws tear them to shreds. The girl glances to the side. Soul is right beside her. His tail lashes out behind him as he swipes at Arachne. The spider Creatures jump to block his blows. They are incinerated.

"My Court," the Two Queens cry, "Protect your Queens!" The remaining present members of the Court of Two Queens rush forward immediately. They stink of blood and decay. Their screams echo harshly. Maka feels dread flood Soul for a moment. She pushes harder on the Blood Exchange. The Demon Prince nods. His fist throws off Arachne just enough for him to jump to be back to back with his Tamer. The blue Hellfire spins in a close circle around them as their hands, her right and his left, find each other. They clasp on tightly.

Soul feels the slight shake in Maka's body, the tremors light and suppressed.

"Are you afraid?" He asks, eyes scanning the Demons moving in on the blue Hellfire.

"No," Maka answers, her voice low and dangerous. It's not at all monotone like she is in the human world; instead, she's taken on a slight reverb as her Demon blood mixes with his within her own body. "I feel..._bloodthirsty." _Soul laughs, a dangerous echo that has every low-level and Creature in the Court screaming in fear and anticipation of a fight. He squeezes her hand to let her know he feels the same itch to tear through low-levels who dare to oppose him. For the Demon Prince, however, it's coupled with anger at the betrayal of his Queens, regardless of the fact that he was expecting it.

"Shall we?" He hisses, his fangs nearly to his jaw line. Maka raises their adjoined hands as high above her head as she can. The blue fire becomes shot through with the bloodiest red and the clearest jade. The Blood Exchange between her Demon and herself reaches new heights. Together, they feel invincible.

"_Connect!" _Maka's order is enough to kill off the first ring of Demons surrounding the fire as it blasts outward. She hears an indignant shriek from Hell Queen Arachne. The Hellfire starts to sing with the tune of the Blood Exchange between the Demon Prince and the halfling. Red and green streak through the flames. The power building and burning inside Soul and Maka doubles as she activates the ancient technique called Twin Snake. She can acutely feel each motion her Demon makes, so when he lunges left, she counters right. Though he dives with his claws first, Maka extends her booted foot instead. She crushes in a Demon's face. She can feel the pulse in her gut of sick satisfaction become and echoed sadistic glee in Soul's sneer as he tears through a group of the snake-like Creatures. Maka kicks wide left and springboards off the newly dead Creature into a back flip. She extends her hands as she soars over her Demon. Soul reaches up without hesitation and catches her wrists. He spins her, digging his heels hard into the floor of the Court. The slight ache is reflected in her own feet. The halfling revels in it. She screams a battle cry. Her motion catches the blue Hellfire. It spins with each turn Soul makes, eradicating the Demons it crosses.

The Creatures scream in indignation. Their sentiments are shown plainly on their creators' faces. The Two Queens glower at the Demon and Tamer pair. Both Maka and Soul toss them fang-baring smirks over their shoulders before taking a step in tandem to the door and throwing their connected hands outward.

A horde of the Creatures explode in a burst of flame. The Hellfire rushes forward, scorching the tiles on the ground and blowing open the grand door to the Court.

The pathway to leave the Court is suddenly clear.

Soul wraps his tail around his Tamer's waist. As she's lifted, Maka urges the fire to rise up and part the hordes of ugly, angry Demons attacking them for the Two Queens. The Hellfire catches under Soul's feet and throws them both clear to the door. Soul grabs her, pulling her in my his tail and wrapping his arms around her.

The crash into the ash covered halls of the Court. Soul hisses lowly at taking the brunt of the fall. Maka is already out of his arms, pulling him to his feet. They stumble a few steps.

"Follow me," Soul growls as he gains his footing.

"Aren't men supposed to be terrible at directions?" Maka quips as she rounds a corner hard on his heels. There's a screech behind her. She jumps, spinning off the wall and crashing her knee into the Demon who had managed to follow them. Soul is there immediately, spinning her back into forward momentum and continuing them on their mad dash for the exit.

"Remember, little Tamer," Soul says lowly, summoning Hellfire to his fingertips, "I'm far better than your human males." Maka snorts in a lady-like fashion. Hellfire gathers on her own fingers at Soul's insistence. The brilliant blue of it lights up the outline of a gateway ahead of them. Together, they leapl, claws extended.

The front entrance falls defeated. Maka and Soul burst from it, panting hard. They stop for a few moments, Soul raising and arm and pointing on a diagonal somewhere to his left. Maka can see nothing but red and orange Hellfire shaping into mountains and trees. The ground is naught but stone and dirt, magma racing underneath the cracks. The sky is black ash and the occasional dim swirl of a quickly opening and closing gate.

"My Court is this way," Soul says. His eyes lock onto Maka's for the span of four slow breaths.

They run.

The harsh scream of the Two Queens Court urges them forward, escaping their slight victory. Their feet pound over the hard ground as they race to whatever safety the Prince Soul Eater can offer.

Both are panting hard, feeling the surge of Hellfire in their lungs when a huge structure, brilliant in its magnificent gleam and glorious in size rises over the horizon. It reminds Maka of the huge cathedrals of the Middle Ages. A high, stone wall topped with battlements surround the structure. She swivels her head left to right as they finally stop in front of her Demon's Court. Soul smirks, laughing low in his chest. Maka shoots him a short glare. In response, Soul saunters up to the stone and presses his hand to it. The torches glowing with Hellfire instantly turn blue, green and red escaping off the top of the flames.

The stone grumbles and then parts. The stones fly to build a bridge across the moat of gray water. Soul steps inside, standing on the crest of the bridge. He turns back to face his Tamer.

Maka's breath catches in her throat. Despite knowing that her Demon in the most powerful Demon in Hell, she has never seen such a display of his true power until this moment. Want starts to thunder in her heart, and Maka instantly calls out the disconnection command of their Twin Snake.

_"Sever!" _The emotions rebounding back and forth between the Tamer and Demon cut with a force that makes them both stumble, hands to their chests. Soul recovers quickly, returning to stand in the doorway to his Court with the flames raging around him and the beauty of the building towering behind him. Maka struggles to regain her senses, thrown off balance by the sight before her. It's now that her situation finally stabs her in the chest with fear and anxiety. He heart speeds and her breathing becomes shallow. She's torn by the fact that she's standing in Hell at the mouth of her Demon's lions' den, so to speak.

"Come, little Tamer," Soul orders her. Maka can't help her hesitation, moving forward in a stumbling manner to stand at her Demon's side. He slips his tail under her shirt, the fur at the end resting between her shoulder blades. The slight touch against her tattoo calms her racing heart considerably, but the emotions are still there. Soul stares into his Tamer's eyes. The warm wine color he shows her now tells her to school her features into the blank slate she's known for.

"You don't have to be afraid, Maka," Soul whispers, "You're safe here." Maka hiccups. Soul guides her over the bridge. The pieces fly back to form the wall as they are stepped over. Maka keeps quiet, forcing her body to submit to Soul's calming touch. It's the only way to hide the fear threatening to take over her senses.

It's warm inside the Court. The sconces all light up blue as the Demon and Tamer pair pass them, returning to their original bright orange a few moments later. The lower levels of the castle hold little life, only a few low-levels scurrying about. It's not until they've ascended a spiraling staircase that the hallways start to seem to echo the presence of the Demons who call themselves members of the Demon Prince Soul Eater's Court.

The torches lining the walls continue to flicker blue as the pair passes them, but now it is not so noticeable with the Blood Exchange finally calming due to Maka's slipping grasp on the surreal experience. Instead, their presence is announced by the whispers filling the halls from the many rooms Soul guides Maka past.

_"...Soul Eater..." _The whispers call out the Prince's full name and his title, but never is he called informally. _"...My Prince..."_ Demons that they pass fall to their knees before Soul, never lifting even their eyes until he has passed on to another set of stairs or a new corridor.

_"The Prince is returned!" _One mid-level cries out, his voice bringing cheers from other Demons around him. No one notices Maka. In the shadow of the brightest, mightiest figure in the Court, no one looks at her long enough to notice she is not truly Demon. Had Maka not been so shaken at the moment, she would have rolled her eyes as the overzealousness of the Demons of her Demon Prince's Court. After all, she'd only called him to her earlier that day to see Lord Death. That meeting felt like eons ago. Maka finally realizes just how tired she truly is, her left foot nearly tripping over her right. She catches herself quickly, moving on just behind Soul at an even pace. He throws her a look that she ignores.

_"_My Prince?"

Soul stops so suddenly, Maka has to force herself to not run into him. She stays silent behind his broad back. She watches the muscles in his back tense up. She feels a tremor run down her own spine at the sudden hesitation in her Demon's mannerisms.

"My Soul!" A mid-level cries, stepping from her room and dropping to her knees in front of the Demon Prince. "I have missed you so much, my Prince." The mid-level Demon's voice is low and rich, a seductive tone that would have mortal men falling over themselves to be by her side in an instant. The echo in the Demon's voice only adds to the velvet sound.

Soul says nothing to her. Instead, he reaches behind him and pulls Maka to his side. He wraps his tail around her wrist. Maka is grateful for the comfort, but unsure of the reason her Demon feels the need to show it to plainly. He should hide her true identity, for both of their safety.

The mid-level sits up, rising to bow from the waist to the Prince. Maka cannot belief the Demon woman's outfit, or lack thereof. Red fabric is draped across her shoulders and falls in strategic folds to cover the essentials. Gold jewelry covers her ankles and wrists and her hair shines with golden beads. She's beautiful. Insecurity stabs through Maka for the first time.

"It's been so long since we've seen each other, my Soul," the mid-level continues, "Perhaps you and I-" She stops speaking suddenly, drawing herself up to her new height. Her piercing black eyes fall on Maka.

"What trash is this, Soul?" She asks tauntingly, reaching up a hand with the intent to trace Maka's chin with a claw. She never gets there. Soul grabs her wrist and shoves her back. Maka trembles behind him. She grimaces internally. Why is she being so weak?

"Who do you think you are, girl?" Soul orders of the woman. "Did I tell you to rise?" He shakes the woman, her back hitting the wall hard each time. "Did I give you permission to call me so informally? Who are you to call my Tamer trash?" The woman gasps.

The silence around the hall is deafening.

The Demons watching the display stand in shock at their Prince's admission. They cannot understand that the strongest Demon in Hell has been Tamed. They are further confused by the fact that Prince Soul Eater has allowed her into his Court and that she's in Hell in the first place. It's a string of impossibilities that have them retreating to their rooms, gossiping among themselves.

The mid-level falls to the floor, holding her wrist.

"I'm sorry, my Prince Soul Eater," she begs, "Please forgive me." She bows low, pressing her forehead to the floor. Soul says nothing, merely continues walking toward another set of stairs. Maka follows in a numb state, urged on by her Demon's tail around her wrist. They don't speak until Soul has shut two grand doors behind him. The room into which they enter is spacious and beautifully decorated. It branches off into three wings as far as Maka can tell.

Soul turns to her, ready to speak and explain everything that is happening to her now, when the bang of a door opening too wide make's Maka jump. She keeps her forced blank expression even as the room fills with Demons.

"Is he safe?!" The question rings from two mouths. Liz and Patti rush forward, taking Maka's hands and falling on their knees in front of her.

"Wh-what?" Maka says, eyes wide as she tries to comprehend their question. "Soul is...oh." It clicks in her head. "Kid is safe. He's back on the human plane, immortality intact." Liz and Patti jump up, their arms wrapped securely around Maka. They whisper words of gratitude into her hair, kiss her cheeks, and take an earring from their own ears. They press them into Maka's ears before finally stepping back.

"Why did you...?" Maka asks, touching her freshly pierced ears lightly, testing for pain. There is none.

"It's an old custom between Demons," another Demon explains, stepping forward as she runs a brush through her long midnight hair. A Hell Queen, a factor that sends another shot of fear through Maka, nods next to her. "It is a way of showing your recognition that something to be repaid has been done for you. The earring is a physical reminder."

"In short," the Hell Queen modifies, "The Thompsons now owe you a favor in return for the one you did for them. When you ask that favor of them, you return the earring. That's why Demons have so many piercings in their ears around here."

Maka blinks. "I haven't seen so much jewelry on anyone else besides members of this court."

"Soul like to hold onto our heritage as Demons. He says it makes us strong." It's Tsubaki's gentle tone that answers. Maka whirls, coming face to face with her best friend's Demon.

"Tsubaki..." She murmurs. The tall Duchess wraps her arms around her Tamer's friend immediately, letting the girl sag in her embrace. Soul loosens his tail from Maka's wrist.

"Duchess," he orders, walking to the couches in the center of the room. "Take my Tamer to your chambers. Get her anything she may need. Understand?" Tsubaki nods, absently stroking Maka's hair. The halfling glances up at where her Demon is now sitting. He gives her a strong stare. Maka takes the offered strength, willing her fear and anxiety to hide in the recesses of her mind for now. At the command, the Blood Exchange starts to spark back into existence.

"Hell Queen," Soul continues, "Find the Dukes. I will hold council with them here." The Hell Queen nods.

"Of course, Prince," she says. She disappears into the rooms hidden by tapestry along the right side of the room. Maka is led to the tapestry on the left side, surrounded by Duchesses of her Demon's Court. They don't speak to her until they have her seated on a chaise that lays alongside a grand mirror. Their shadows flicker along the walls in the torchlight. Gold and silver embellishments are everywhere. Tsubaki approaches Maka with a bowl of warm water and a towel.

"Elizabeth," she whispers as she sets the dish at Maka's feet, "Could you go fetch some new clothes for Mistress Tamer? I am certain there is something that will fit her in this Court. Ask one of the Loyalists if you must."

Liz nods, her golden hair falling around her shoulders. "Of course. I'll be just a moment." She vanishes in a swish of skirts into the main room. The dark-haired Duchess moves to peel Maka's ruined boots from her feet.

"Patricia," Tsubaki continues in a gentle voice, "Could you gather some scented oils and perfume? We need to mask the Mistress Tamer's humanity." Patti chirps an agreement, skipping off the opposite direction of her sister. "Thank you, Duchess." Maka gives Tsubaki a questioning stare. The Duchess merely smiles and begins to wipe the dirt from Maka's legs.

"Jacqueline," she asks, "Please fix Mistress Tamer's hair." The one who had explained one of the Demons' customs to her earlier steps forward with a wide smile on her face. Her expression says she would be more than glad to. Jacqueline steps up to the vanity and takes a hairbrush, carefully working through the knots and tangles in Maka's hair.

"You may call me Jackie, Mistress Tamer," she informs Maka. "Though my name is Duchess Jacqueline Dupre." She takes a moment to pull apart a particularly stubborn knot with her fingers. Maka closes her eyes, the tugging on her scalp a welcome distraction.

"Maka," Tsubaki whispers, "You may ask us anything. I'm sure you have many questions." The first one is off Maka's tongue before the Duchess has even finished her sentence.

"Why are you treating me like this?" She waves a hand, motioning to Tsubaki who is now working dirt off her knees and Jackie who is gathering another bowl of water to wash her hair. "I'm human."

Tsubaki nods, "My Prince demands complete obedience to him. He told us to take care of you. This also means we must do all we can to protect you. By treating you like one of our own, we hope to mask your human scent and give you a more Demon-like appearance. At least, this way, you can be safe within Prince Soul Eater's Court."

"Can't you just call him Soul?" There's a bark of laughter from the tapestry. Maka's eyes fly open to see the Hell Queen from earlier moving toward her.

"Mistress Tamer," she says, "No one calls the Demon Prince by his first name alone. Not even his Queens call him that. He is Soul Eater here, or Prince Soul Eater, or my Prince. You are probably the first, excepting the other Demon Princes, to call him by his first name." She places a hand on Maka's shoulder.

"My name is Kim Diehl," the Hell Queen continues, "And before you even ask, I am an agent of your Demon's Court. I work under Queen Arachne, but am a double agent for Shibusen, and a triple agent for the Court of Prince Soul Eater." She smiles. "If you want to know why, it is because no one hates the rule of the Two Queen's more than their own Demon Prince." The two Duchesses present murmur agreements to Kim's words.

"Relax, Mistress Tamer," Jackie warns from behind her, "I'm going to wash your hair now." She carefully leans Maka's head back into the soapy water, rinsing it clean of Demon Blood and grime.

"Hell Queen," Tsubaki says, lowering her rag into the water and rinsing it, "Could you remove Maka's clothing? It's been destroyed." Kim nods.

"Don't worry, Tamer Maka," she comforts, Hellfire rising from her palms, "This won't hurt." She proceeds to burn away the Tamer's clothes, allowing Tsubaki to clean the remaining dirt from her body. The three members of Soul's Court move to resume their treatment, but all pause at the Duchess Jacqueline's gasp. Maka goes rigid. Tsubaki stands, worry written over her pretty features.

"What is it?" She asks. She leans over Maka's shoulder to see the left angel wing drawn elegantly across Maka's shoulder blade. The intricately designed feathers seem to rustle with each shift the halfling Tamer makes.

"This here..." Tsubaki murmurs, tracing a finger just underneath the marking. "My Tamer told me of this exquisite proof, but I never imagined it would be so beautiful."

Jacqueline meets the elder Duchess's eyes. "You knew?"

"I met the Mistress Tamer years ago when I was first Tamed," Tsubaki confirms. Kim seems pleased.

"This is, quite possibly, the only reason you succeeded in Taming Prince Soul Eater, Tamer Maka," the Hell Queen muses. She smiles then, telling Maka not to worry. "And as a half-Demon, you will be safer. It's easier to make someone who is partly Demon more like her Demon self." She then gives the Duchess Jacqueline a hard look that spells out doom if the Demon does not continue her task without further questions. The dark-haired Demon does so immediately and the subject is dropped.

It's not until Jackie is twisting her clean hair into curls and decorating it with jade and emeralds that Elizabeth and Patricia reenter the room. Patti hands Tsubaki's requested oils and perfumes to her, following the older Duchess's instruction on where to rub each one. Then Liz unrolls the deep green fabric in her arms. The other girls all gasp at the beauty of the dress. Maka hides her distaste at such an unconventional outfit, but finds herself drawn to the color of the silk. Liz offers it to her.

"Let me help you," she says, "These can be difficult for someone from Earth. We don't make our clothes simple. This is an old fashion anyway. Not any less lovely, however." Maka stands, shivering from the cold of the jewelry in her hair brushing against the bare skin of her shoulders and back. She steps carefully into the dress, allowing Liz to cross the straps over her back and tie them in front at her waist. The cleavage of the dress is deep, and the skirt is cut for free movement. Both of her legs slip out of the folds of the dress to show as she walks.

"You look like a Demon Princess, Mistress Tamer," Liz says. Her approval is echoed by the other Duchesses and the lone Hell Queen in the room. Maka stops in front of the mirror. She can't stop herself from staring with unconcealed shock at her reflection. She rubs her bare arms absently as her eyes trace out her own cleavage and the peeping skin of her legs. The tattoos covering her right arm gleam in the low light, seeming to glitter on her skin. Elizabeth snaps her fingers.

"Jewelry!" She calls out, "I knew I had forgotten something!" She races over to one of the many finely crafted chests on the vanity and pulls out many gold accessories.

"Duchess," Kim says as Liz moves toward Maka with her handful of jewelry. "Don't put too much on the Mistress Tamer. The Demon Prince is...quite fond of her skin." Her smirk is positively seductive. Maka ignores her pointed look and Liz's response. She lets the blonde Duchess slide an arm band high onto her left arm and slip a few bangles over each wrist. A thin golden necklace is slipped around Maka's neck. A very yellow diamond sits nestled in the hollow of her throat. Maka touches her fingers to the gem.

"A Demon Princess..." she murmurs slowly. There is no reverb in her voice as with the Duchesses, the only factor that could give her away. She turns to look at the other women in the room. "Then...why do you call me Mistress Tamer? My name is Maka. Maka Albarn."

Patti steps forward, shoes in hand. "Because, technically, Prince Soul is in charge of all" -she spreads her arms wide, grabbing her sister and Jackie into a hug- "of us and you're in charge of him. So...you're like...honorary royalty or something." The Duchess giggles at the end of her sentence, seemingly unfazed by the other two Duchesses trying to get out of her hold. Elizabeth wops her sister upside the head with her tail to no effect. It's Tsubaki's gentle fingers on Patti's shoulders that finally undo the choke hold the younger girl has on her older sister and friend.

"The title is also to cover your identity," Tsubaki elaborates further. "Albarn is a rather famous name in Hell, after all."

Kim laughs from the other side of the room. She turns around with a drink in a crystal glass. The liquid is red, a deep color that reminds Maka of her Demon's eyes. The Blood Exchange hums a low note just long enough for the Tamer to feel Soul's presence in the main room. "Ah, yes. The Death Scythe Prince. Not quite as powerful as our own, of course, but still a close second. He's won more wars than the Earthly plane has seen since its late eighteenth century. That's the American Revolutionary War." The Hell Queen takes a sip of the drink. She approaches Maka and leans in. The faint smell of alcohol hits the Tamer's nose.

"And every single one of those wars," Kim practically purrs, "He started over a woman." She meets Maka's gaze. "A Hell Queen." She tosses back a sip and licks her lips. "Or another Court's Duchess." She leans back and sighs. "Hell has been rather calm since he was first Tamed by your mother." She whistles. A look of panic crosses Tsubaki's face. She shakes her head, but the Hell Queen ignores her. "Tamer Kami was probably the first person to willingly break the taboo between Demon and Tamer. Prince Spirit is quite famous with the women here. While he was with your mother, he saw only his own concubines. He's still like that, really. I suppose he's waiting for your Last before starting another war." She raises an eyebrow at Liz. "I hear he's quite interested in-!"

A torch on the wall flared, its flames racing toward the Hell Queen. The attack meets the hand holding Kim's drink. The red liquid splashes on the floor. Kim stares at the broken crystal glass in shock before her angry gaze shoots up toward Maka. The girl wears a suitably enraged expression, but that quickly turns to shock and uncertainty when Queen Kim focuses her wrath on her. The contact is short lived as Kim's eyes turn to see the outstretched hand of the gentlest of the Duchesses. Tsubaki's tail lashes behind her. Flecks of red show in her purple irises.

"My apologies, Hell Queen," Tsubaki murmurs, snatching the offending hand and holding it close to her chest. "It was not my intention to attack you." The Duchess bows her head. Kim pulls back her hand as if to hit the Demon. Maka wraps her hand around the Hell Queen's wrist.

"That was not Tsubaki's fault, Kim," she says. Her informality quiets the Hell Queen for just a moment. Though Kim may be used to the idea of common speech from her work at Shibusen, being confronted with it so randomly in Hell is shocking to her. Maka takes the Queen's silence as admission to continue. "But rather yours. Soul sensed my distress at your speech about my father and ordered Tsubaki to stop you by her Contract with him." Maka's claws slip out the slightest bit to prick into the soft skin on the underside of Kim's arm. "Do you think I don't know about my own parent?" Kim's mouth is open to respond, but no words come out. Maka releases the Hell Queen, watching the blood well in the small tears in her skin.

"Leave now," Maka asks, "And see if Soul is ready to see us." When the Hell Queen has left the room, Maka drops into her seat, her shoulders shaking. Tsubaki falls to her knees to comfort the Tamer, but Maka looks at her.

"Shouldn't you be with Black*Star?" She questions, eyes flicking around Tsubaki's face. It is unusual for Black*Star to be seen around Shibusen without his Demon by his side. Their Blood Exchange is nowhere near as dangerous or strong as the one between Maka and Soul, but their actual friendship is genuine.

"Black*Star sent me here hoping I would find you," Tsubaki murmurs, swiping away the hair that had fallen over Maka's eyes. "You've been missing for days." Maka startles, jerking from the Demon's touch.

"Days?" She repeats. "It's only been hours...?" She trails out, her voice lilting into a question. She stops, thinking back quickly. She'd seen Black*Star mid-afternoon only a few hours ago! The Duchess known as Jackie responds from behind her as she cleans the floor of the mess of wine.

"The time here moves much slower than on the earth plane," she explains. "It is approximately an hour here for each day there." Maka blinks at her.

"How else could Night Hunt only occur about six times per earthly month?" Liz scoffs. She bares her fangs with a wicked glint in her eyes. "Lunch and Dinner." Patti laughs maniacally behind her, clapping her hands together.

"Then Demons feel time at home is moving very quickly?" Maka asks, trying to wrap her head around this new concept. Tsubaki nods.

"Yes," she confirms. "It's the reason why we can fight for hours without growing tired. To us, it is but a few minutes." Maka drops her chin in her hands.

"I've been here for about five hours," she muses, "So it's been five days since anyone has seen me." She blinks, hoping to suppress the need to return to Earth inside her. She knows there is nothing that can be done yet; she needs to trust her Demon to return her as he is the only one who can. Then the tapestry is flung back, a recently banished figure stepping humbly back into the room.

"Come, Mistress Tamer," the Hell Queen calls, bowing her head at Maka. "He's calling you."

* * *

Soul reclines against his couches, spreading his arms over the backrest. He feels rather empty right now without Maka next to him or the Blood Exchange surging through his veins. It's the first time since his Taming that he hasn't been able to clear the burn of the connection acutely. The sensation is rather dull and hard to pinpoint, but Soul doesn't search for it. Any digging he does to build the link back up will be felt by his Tamer, and what the young women needs right now is calm. Such a thing is an impossibility with their rampant exchange.

The only Hell Queen he trusts comes to kneel before him.

"I've gathered them, Prince," she says. At her words, the Dukes of Soul Eater's Court enter the room, their tails swishing behind them. They too kneel before him, presenting themselves. Soul waves a hand.

"We can skip the formalities," Soul offers, "As this is not my Courtroom nor are you my full Council." He gestures to the couches next to the one he occupies, telling the members of his Court to sit. They do so, eyeing their Prince warily. The Demon Prince glances at Kim. She nods, bowing her head as she exits to the Duchesses rooms. Soul sighs.

"Well," he says to the remaining members of his Court, "Speak."

The only one with an adult appearance, a mid-level by the name of Harvar Eclair, is the first to break the silence.

"My Prince," he begins, "We heard of the attack on The Two Queens' Court. Why would you-"

"Attack them?" Soul inserts, cutting off his Duke. "My Queens had taken hostage the son of Lord Death. Duchess Elizabeth and Duchess Patricia begged me to go there and save him." The two other Dukes, small, child-like mid-levels calling themselves Thunder and Fire lean forward. Their big eyes are lit in interest.

"What happened?" Harvar asked, his tail swishing in an agitated fashion. He's always been the worrywart out of all of Soul's Dukes, but his brilliant mind (and penchant for lightning) is an undeniably useful asset.

"Fought our way out of the Court of Two Queens," Soul answers solemnly. "My Tamer and I, I mean." There are a few gasps. Only the young twins are brave enough to speak up and ask the question that rests uncomfortably on the edge of theirs and Harvar's tongue.

"That girl..._Tamed you?" _Thunder and Fire question. They raise up on their toes as they say it, their chubby fingers lacing together behind their backs and their glassy eyes rolling around the room. They giggle then. The Prince forces himself to not get angry at them. They are two of his Dukes, after all. The power they wield is enormous, even if their decorum is childish.

"She must be really strong!" Fire exclaims. His twin Demon is not far behind him.

"A true Mistress Tamer!" He adds. Thunder swings his legs over the edge of the couch. "So," he asks, "Who is she?" Fire takes on his twins kicking motion, the two forming a mirror image. Soul glances at Harvar as he gives his answer.

"Tamer Maka Albarn," he replies. As expected, Duke Harvar's eyes become very wide as he connects the dots.

"You mean Prince Spirit Albarn's daughter?" He says, shock and nervousness clouding his eyes, "The Death Scythe Prince?" He stands, beginning to pace back and forth in the room. "Have you considered, my Prince, that once he finds out you have his daughter here in your Court he may attack us? We don't have the resources for that kind of battle!"

"Harvar," Soul murmurs in a low, warning growl, "Do not forget to whom you are speaking." The mid-level pauses in his movements immediately, bowing to his Prince. Fire and Thunder, however, see something in their Prince that had not been there before. He radiates a fierce, protective aura that is echoed in the way the Hellfire dances wildly in the torches around the room.

"My Prince," says Fire, "by the way you do not consider the possibility of losing a war to Prince Spirit over his daughter..."

"We must ask you," Thunder continues, "If you are in love with your Tamer?" Soul and Harvar both startle in slight shock. Soul coughs, baring his fangs. He pointedly turns back to Harvar, ignoring the secret smiles on his child-like Dukes' faces.

"Anyway," the Demon Prince continues, "You are right to worry. After the incident with my Queens today, we should expect an attack on this Court." He looks distinctly at all three of his Dukes, meeting their eyes one by one. "The three of you are in charge of fortifying this place. I will not put all my Loyalists and my Court in senseless danger. The Two Queens never go out to fight together; one always stays in their Court. That being the case, only my best fighters and myself should be enough against whoever the Queens send to fight."

Suddenly, the Blood Exchange sparks back to life in Soul's veins, making his fists tighten. He feels distress and anger building in Maka and a dislike for a puzzle piece that doesn't quite fit. While Harvar glances at Thunder and Fire, trying to word what they want to say next in the best possible manner, Soul activates his Contract with Tsubaki, forcing her slightly attack Kim. He can feel the sudden indignation coming from the Hell Queen in the other room and fights to hide his smirk.

"But my Prince," Harvar finally says, "Our Queens' Court is monstrous. The number of Loyalists they have is enough to cause significant damage to our Court."

Soul sighs, "Yes, that would be correct."

The twins hear the slight lilt in his tone. "If?" They prompt.

"If my Tamer and I hadn't decimated hundreds of their Demons earlier today," Soul says, "You would be correct. For now, until they create and gather more Demons, my Queens are limited to themselves and their Creatures as a fighting force. Neither of them are patient women. They will attack soon, and we will be ready." He doesn't ask if his Dukes understand, merely motions for them to rise and begin preparations.

"You may ask the Duchesses for help, if necessary," the Prince says. There is a slight cough to his right. He looks over to see Kim standing there, her head bowed. Soul smirks.

"I see Tsubaki is still as wonderful a Duchess as I could ever hope to have," he says, referring to the Hell Queen's embarrassment after she irritated his Tamer. Kim bows further.

"May I invite the Mistress Tamer back to see you, my Prince Soul Eater?" She asks quietly. Soul nods.

"Yes, we've just finished here," he says, "Gather them here. The Dukes and Duchesses have work to do. And you need to return to the Court of Two Queens. I need to know their plans." Kim solemnly agrees before retreating back behind the tapestry to gather Maka and the Duchesses. Soul stands waiting while his Dukes begin to discuss preparing for an attack. A couple minutes later, the tapestry is thrown back and Soul has to force himself to breathe as he sees Maka again.

Soul cannot help but gape at his Tamer. He ignores the few snickers from his Duchesses and the Hell Queens as his attraction to her is put on display. His attention is solely grabbed onto the vision moving toward him. In robes made in Hell, his Tamer looks luscious, and he knows he won't be able to keep away from her for long. To distract himself, he orders his Dukes and Duchesses to line up. He offers Maka a hand, asking her wordlessly to stand at his side.

As the members of Soul's Court with Contracts come to stand before the pair, they can only just barely suppress their surprise at the couple before them. Despite the knowledge that they are Demon and Tamer, Prince Soul Eater and Maka Albarn look more like the Demon King and Demon Queen than anything else. They drop to their knees, bowing before their Prince and Mistress Tamer.

"Little Tamer," Soul starts, "These are the members of my Court with whom I am Contracted. You've met my Duchesses." Elizabeth, Patricia, Tsubaki, and Jacquelyn all nod and murmur a praise to their Prince. "And Hell Queen Kim Diehl." The young Hell Queen also murmurs a quick compliment. Soul then gestures to each Duke, stating his name and pausing just long enough for the Demon to give his Prince an acknowledging statement. "Harvar Eclair." The Duke nods, his tail swishing. the serious expression on his face encourages Maka to keep her own expression blank. "Fire and Thunder." Two mid-levels with the appearance of children bounce on the soles of their feet. "They may look and act like children, but this is just the form they choose to assume. They are actually quite wise when they assume their True Form."

"True Form?" Maka echoes. Soul smirks at her.

"Hopefully I can explain that to you much, much later," he says. Maka nods, but her head spins with the term. Soul then returns his attention to his Court.

"To your rooms, all of you," he orders, "Tomorrow will be taxing." The serious promise in his words keeps the mood low and somber at his Court moves to obey him. After they've left, Soul turns toward the only direction that Maka has not yet seen used in the room. He gestures with an inviting hand toward the double doors situated at the back of the room.

"Come," he says, "Stay with me." Maka moves toward the door instantly, wanting nothing more than to feel safe, and there is no safer place in Hell than with the strongest Demon himself. Soul guides her through a few more rooms before opening a door to his bedchamber. The room is refreshingly simple. The floor is stone, but covered by a rug decorated in black and red. The walls are black, but the torches placed in even intervals around the room make it warm and inviting despite the harsh color. The dark decor around the room is not overly gaudy or detailed, but Maka suspects that Soul comes here to sleep and escape the pressures of Court life. His slight smile is a positive answer to her thoughts.

Maka stumbles into the room, feeling the security that her Demon feels here reaching into her body. She sits on the bed, burying her face in her hands for a few long, slow breathes. Soul waits patiently, ordering the Hellfire in the torches around his room to dim. The lighting becomes rather romantic, but neither of the occupants of the room mind. It almost feels like this is how it should be, and maybe it is.

"Can I truly be safe here?" Maka asks after the long silence between them. "Will I lose myself to my Demon side or is that who I really am?" She plays with her own fingers in her uncertainty. "Soul..."

The Demon Prince sits next to her. "My Tamer," he breathes, "That is who you are. Be proud of that, because I am proud to call you mine."

She turns her head just slightly toward him. Soul, in his intensity, forgets to stop staring at the expressive face of his Tamer. To see her acting like her true self only makes him want to keep her here in this Court with him forever. He wants her to be his, exactly like he first offered her.

Maka's bangs shift, and their eyes meet. Electricity sparks between them. Soul feels Maka freeze over the Blood Exchange. Uncertainty clouds her green eyes. He grabs her hand on reflex.

"Don't look away," he nearly begs. His voice is so quiet, it surprises even him that he's the one speaking. The voice holds little echo, and the overall tone is warm. Most surprising of all, Soul _likes_ how he sounds: almost human. It makes him feel closer to his Tamer. He leans nearer to her, one of his hands coming up to brush stray hair behind her ear. Maka stares at him, their eyes never once breaking contact. A sweet melody, filled with accidentals and major chords, weaves between them. It's the Blood Exchange singing again.

"Shouldn't I be the one giving orders?" Maka whispers, her eyelids lowering just the slightest bit. Somehow, it makes the green of her eyes even brighter. Soul studies the deep color, seeing the dark edges of her eyes and the lighter tones of the earthen colors flecked through her irises. Soul searches for her right hand with his left. Their skin sparks at the contact, their palms drawn together like magnets from the Tattoos there. The beautiful patterns work as amplification, boosting the sound of their Blood Exchange. Soul would be shocked if no one in his court hears it. Then again, he wants to keep the memory of this sweet song to himself forever, a treasure between himself and his Tamer.

He smirks at his Tamer. "Ah, but here, Little Tamer, I'm the Demon Prince." He leans closer to her still. He angles her head with the hand in her hair. Maka gasps the slightest bit. "You should listen to me." The girl merely shifts, her free hand coming to rest on his chest.

"Soul, you..." She never finishes her statement, finally getting lost in the ruby coloration of her Demon's eyes. She doesn't have to say it out loud, though. She knows Soul is catching every word she thinks over their connection. He can feel the fear racing through her and counters it with comfort and the strength he feels when he is commanding Hellfire. It invades her veins and overcomes the fear and anxiety in Maka just enough for her to relax. The sudden lack of tension has to sagging toward him; he catches her immediately, warm hands winding around her waist and pulling her into his lap. With her back facing him, he can study the wing on her left shoulder. He, unable to stop himself and entirely certain he wouldn't even if he could, dips his head forward and presses a kiss to the edge of Maka's shoulder blade.

A soft sigh leaves her pink lips. Soul smiles against her skin. His tongue slips out, and he traces it along the bottom of the intricate wing. Maka cannot restrain her moan as the sensitive skin is stimulated. The feel of Soul's warm breath on her shoulder and his tongue tracing out the feathers drawn on her tattoo is that of sparks erupting through her body in a torturously slow pace. It tightens the coil in her lower belly. Maka spreads her legs just the slightest bit to settle deeper into her Demon's embrace. He kisses down her spine.

"You look beautiful," he whispers against her ribcage. Maka mumbles something that has no true words, but the meaning is clear across their connection. She wants him to hold her, to help her forget her fear of this place...and she wants to hide from her Demon side even for a moment. Her desire to be with him is the forerunner of all her thoughts, and the Demon Prince would never deny his Tamer. Their wills match, and the Blood Exchange runs hot and thick through the both of them.

With the utmost slowness and sincerity, Soul reaches around his Tamer and pulls the ties at the front of Maka's dress apart. The jade fabric releases, sliding over her shoulder and falling into a puddle in her lap. Soul's hands cover his Tamer's breasts immediately, rubbing gently in soothing circles. Maka leans forward into his palms instinctively. Soul leans forward too, pressing his torso against her back and kissing the nape of her neck. He noses along her hairline and presses a wet kiss underneath her ear. Maka squirms in his lap, unintentionally grinding into Soul's budding erection. He gasps and nips at her earlobe in response. His teeth click against the new earrings there.

"I want you, little Tamer," he murmurs in her ear, "Can I have you?" Maka leans to the side, twisting her head to look him in the eye.

"Please," she nearly begs. Soul then leans in to capture her mouth in a kiss reminiscent of the first days of summer and the most successful of Night Hunts. It's passion, sensitivity, and color wrapped into one pair of lips slanting over another. Soul picks up his Tamer, standing for the shortest moment with her held securely in his arms before he lowers her onto his bed, crawling over her. He licks her upper lip, turning his head and feeling her own tongue brushing in an almost tentative manner against his. The sensuality of the slow rocking he's started against her is unlike anything the Prince has ever felt before. The mindless nights spent with his concubines and random women of his Court combined can't hope to amount to even a second he spends with his Tamer. For the first time, Soul believes in fate and unity with another person, and that thought jerks him away from his Tamer's mouth. He stares at her underneath him, her dress gathered at her waist and her long legs peeping through the folds of the fabric. Her ashy, blonde hair is spread around his pillow, the gems in it glistening in the Hellfire torchlight.

Tonight is the first night that the Demon Prince has ever allowed anyone else in his own bed. It's a momentous occasion that he wouldn't share with anyone else. Maka wriggles her hips.

Soul Eater tucks his fingertips into the dress and tugs it down, slipping the silk down Maka's long legs and tossing it somewhere else. Next time, he'd get her in red. The Tamer wears no undergarments, but that doesn't surprise Soul. Demon women weren't known for their modesty, and Maka had been dressed by them.

He lifts her right leg and presses a kiss to her ankle. He continues up her leg, alternating between hot, open-mouthed kisses and sweet presses of his lips. He runs his nose over Maka's hipbone and dips his tongue into her belly button. When he finally meets her mouth again, she has slipped her hands down to his pants.

"Please," she whispers again. Soul rises for a second, slipping out of his clothes (not that he wears much to begin with) and returning to his Tamer. She lifts her hips just a bit, letting her legs fall open. Soul enters her softly, continuously shifting his hips and hitting all the nerve endings that Maka never knew she has. She grasps at his back, waiting for him to fill her all the way and reassure her that she's safe in his arms.

Maka draws her knees back just a little further, opening herself for him even more. Soul leans forward, his white bangs mingling with Maka's blonde fringe as he sinks the rest of the way into her. Their eyes meet, neither daring to move or even breathe as they simply relax and _feel _the other. The determination in Soul to return his Tamer home to the earthly plane makes her chest feel swollen with gratitude. This in turn makes something impossible begin to burn in Soul's chest; he can feel this burning echoed in the butterflies dancing in Maka's stomach. The two of them, together in this moment, forget everything around them. In Soul's eyes, Maka can see passion and lust, but beyond that, closer to his true heart, she sees trust and understanding. She can see his willpower building up in the set of his jaw and the desire to comfort her in the way his eyelids lower, shading her from the full force of his blood colored eyes.

A tear trickles down her cheek.

Soul wipes it away with his thumb, breaking eye contact for the shortest moment to catch the overflowed emotion. He can see how desperately Maka wants to trust him in her open eyes. He can see her fear at being trapped in Hell, and this only solidifies his resolve to get her back home, even if he can't stand to be apart from her. He presses two butterfly kisses to her eyelids, overcome with the strength of what he can feel bursting to life within him.

Somehow, it seems he's starting to fall for the halfling beneath him.

He moves slowly, pressing kisses to her collarbone and neck with each languid stroke. He's mesmerized by her. The way her hips circle slowly as he pulls back, prolonging the sensation, procures low hums from his throat. The sound is immeasurably tame, and he would laugh at the difference between it and his usual throaty groans that edge on full-blown growls if he wasn't caught up in something far more powerful than a Blood Exchange, a Contract, or a Loyalty Bind.

He shifts his hips upward, angling into Maka just how he knows will get her to cry out his name in a breathy tone that whispers past his ears, making him yearn to hear it again. He leans his head down and kisses her neck, sucking gently on her skin. Maka whimpers, locking her ankles over his back. She arches her own, allowing her Demon to slide the edges of his fangs along her breasts. He nips sharply at one; Maka tugs his hair, pulling him back to her.

Their mouths meet in soft press of lips that quickly heats into an opportunity to press themselves even closer together. Maka's hands on both sides of his neck are warm. Her thumbs tracing the edge of his jaw line send pleasure tingling down his spine. Soul shudders, the vibration, the tenderness, echoed in Maka's body.

She cries his name.

"Soul!"

He comes undone, holding his Tamer close. She responds in turn, wrapping her arms securely around him and whimpering along with each breath Soul's breathes against her neck.

"I'll get you back," he says, sealing it with a kiss. He refuses to say 'home', and Maka knows it. She blinks hugely at him, a few more tears escaping. Soul glances off to the side, feeling almost ashamed at how badly he wants the half-Demon to stay with him. Maka shifts, her body feeling tired and lethargic. Her Demon laughs under his breath.

Soul pulls away from her, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"It'll be okay," he whispers to her, reiterating his earlier promise. He lays down behind her, wrapping his tail securely around her tiny waist. Maka giggles faintly, tucking her body more securely against his.

"When everything is over, Soul," she murmurs, eyes drooping shut, "I think I'd like to be..." She falls asleep before the sentence reaches completion, but Soul is momentarily transported back one week ago to the night they met. He remembers his request, his immediate want for her to be his. The way she's threaded her fingers through his and lined herself up against his body gives the final word of Maka's statement.

_Yours._

A thrill runs through Soul's body at the thought. For a moment, he lets himself completely neglect the hard fighting and games of betrayal and lies sure to come their way. For just a second, he allows himself to be hers and surrenders to her embrace. It is that second that seals their dark fate.


End file.
